Bengaluru, Feb 22 (PTI): Chinelle Henry’s (62) record-equalling half-century and four wickets each for Kranti Goud and Grace Harris gave UP Warriorz their maiden win in the third edition of the Women’s Premier League as they beat Delhi Capitals by 33 runs here on Saturday.

UPW came roaring back into the contest riding on Henry's excellent 23-ball 62, studded with eight sixes and two fours, to set a 178-run target for the Delhi side.

Henry etched her name in the record books in the first half when she hit an 18-ball fifty to register the joint-fastest fifty in WPL history in terms of balls faced, joining Sophia Dunkley who recorded the feat in 2023 edition for Gujarat Giants against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The unheralded Goud then broke the back of Delhi Capitals’ chase as they could only manage 144 in 19.3 overs.

The 21-year-old uncapped Goud accounted for DC’s top-order — Shafali Verma (24), Meg Lanning (5), Jemimah Rodrigues (56) — and later on Jess Jonassen (5) to return 4-0-25-4.

In their previous meet, Delhi had clinched a commanding seven-wicket win a few days ago but to their credit, UPW produced an all-round performance to record their maiden win in the competition.

The victory lifted UP Warriorz from the bottom of the points table as they moved one place above to get to the fourth. They now have two points from three matches after one win and two defeats.

On the other hand, Lannings’ Delhi remained third with four points in as many games. DC have won two and lost as many so far this season.

Delhi were in trouble when Lanning was cleaned up by Goud in the fifth over and Verma failed to push on despite a positive start, making 24 off 30 balls with four fours.

For Delhi, India batter Rodrigues waged a lone battle of sorts to make a fine 56 off 35 balls with eight fours and a six but her effort went in vain.

After their top-order flopped, Delhi’s strong middle-order also could not make a dent when their overseas trio of Marizanne Kapp (9), Annabel Sutherland (5) and Jess Jonassen (5) fell in quick succession.

Earlier, West Indies’ Henry struck eight sixes and two fours in her 23-ball 62 and provided a much-needed impetus to UPW, who were limping at one stage at 91 for six after 14 overs.

The right-handed Caribbean batter struck three sixes in Arundhati Reddy's penultimate over of the innings to bring up her fifty in only 18 balls.

Henry's whirlwind knock at No. 8 lifted UP Warriorz out of doldrums as they were facing the risk of being restricted for a moderate total after each of their specialist batters had flopped.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Amid claims that Siddaramaiah's confidants are being targeted within the ruling Congress in Karnataka, following recent actions against some party leaders, senior MLA K N Rajanna on Friday alleged that the chief minister is "helpless" and under some "compulsion" as he is not standing up to defend his people.

The comments from the former minister, who is considered close to Siddaramaiah, came after Congress took action against some of its minority community leaders--considered close to the CM--following allegations of an internal conspiracy against the party candidate in the Davanagere South bypoll held on April 9.

Rajanna himself was sacked from the Ministry last August on the instructions of the party high command, following his alleged comments criticising top party leader Rahul Gandhi's "vote theft" charge.

"There will be vested interests in the party who will try to conspire against those who have been loyal to the party and want the party to grow for the welfare of the people. Nothing can be done about it. What we expect from our chief minister is that when such a situation arises, he should stand strong, but he is not standing and that is a sad thing," Rajanna said in response to a question whether Siddaramaiah's followers were being targeted in Congress.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "... I don't know what his thinking is. But we did not expect such a helpless situation from Siddaramaiah."

When asked who had made Siddaramaiah helpless, the former minister said, "I won't say who, you understand it yourself."

"People are saying that those close to Siddaramaiah are being targeted...I don't know what compulsions Siddaramaiah has. If he tells, we can know, but he won't say. I don't know under what compulsion he is following this neutrality," he said, adding that the CM is helpless and a person becomes "helpless" when his/her voice shrinks.

The Congress recently suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from the party's primary membership and relieved another MLC Naseer Ahmed from the post of chief minister's political secretary. This action came after a group of Muslim leaders accused members of their own party of "conspiracy" to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.

Following the action against Jabbar and Naseer Ahmed, speculation is that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face action during the next cabinet rejig, as these three wanted a Muslim to get the bypoll ticket in Davanagere South, which the party gave to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa's grandson Samarth Mallikarjun. They also did not actively participate in campaigning.

Citing a Kannada saying that there is no punishment for the mistakes committed by the King, Rajanna, in what seemed to be a veiled dig at Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, asked, "Does sharing a stage with a person (referring to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev) who said, 'Who is Rahul Gandhi? I don't know,' not amount to indiscipline?"

Referring to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge's statement on whether poverty could be ended by taking a dip in the Ganga at Prayagraj, he said, "...but this person (again referring to Shivakumar) goes there and compliments UP CM Yogi Adityanath for arrangements made for the Kumbh Mela. He also goes to Ambani family marriage, while Rahul Gandhi did not even accept the invitation."

"I'm not saying that action should be taken against this person too, but the party will have to observe these things also," he added.

Rajanna further pointed out that no action was taken when veteran Congress leader and late MLA from Davanagere South Shamanur Shivashankarappa made a speech seeking votes for BJP candidate B Y Raghavandra during Shivamogga Lok Sabha polls, and asked if this did not amount to indiscipline.

"The same people were at the helm then (referring to Shivakumar as KPCC chief), even a verbal warning was not given to him (Shivashankarappa)," he said, adding that, similarly no action was taken when Samarth Shamanur filed his nomination in Davanagere South before the party announced its candidate for Davanagere South-- that was also an act of indiscipline.