WPL 2024: 'It’s a learning more than a failure for Richa', says Jemimah

NEW DELHI: After Delhi Capitals (DC) pulled off an exciting one-run win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday to progress into WPL 2024 knockouts, batter Jemimah Rodrigues said Richa Ghosh will benefit from the close result and that she should see this as a learning, not a failure.

With RCB needing 89 runs from the last eight overs, Richa smashed 51 runs off 29 balls, smacking four fours and three sixes in her second fifty of WPL 2024. When two runs were needed, Richa was run out on the last ball of the chase and was left in tears, as the visitors’ lost by one run, coming so close, yet so far from a win.

After Richa was left incredibly devastated over not being able to take her team over the line, Jemimah was one of the first people to console her, followed by Meg Lanning, Jess Jonassen, Marizanne Kapp, Shikha Pandey and Shafali Verma coming in. From the other end, Shreyanka Patil was also inconsolable after picking 4/26 with her off-spin bowling.

"She was crying. I felt for her. Of course, I wanted DC to win but I felt for her and told her, ‘You never know, such a situation could come in the World Cup and you could hit the winning runs and India might win a World Cup.’ From here, she’s going to get so much more experience because it’s a learning more than a failure for Richa.

"In the WPL, we see these kinds of situations, players performing under pressure, in front of large crowds. I think Richa batted brilliantly. Both of them are youngsters, they are kids! After them coming into the Indian team, I feel old. I think both of them are such good talents.

"I think the way Shreyanka bowled, she stood out on such a wicket, especially nailing yorkers in the final over. I think she gave away just five runs. Credit goes to her," said Jemimah, who made 58 runs, to JioCinema after the match ended.

Ellyse Perry, the RCB all-rounder, said in the post-match press conference that Sunday’s game will prove to be a vital learning experience for Richa. "She's obviously got a lovely swing of the bat and she's a good stroke-player. Having known Richa for a little while, playing with her at RCB but also against her for Australia, I feel she's been a huge improver over the last 12 months.

"Both her batting and her keeping as well; she has been phenomenal. She had a wonderful series against us, and she's carried that form into the WPL. She's come a long way and she's still a young player. So it's scary to think how good she could be. From our perspective, Richa certainly gave her absolute all tonight and that's what matters.

"She did that and more tonight, she gave it everything she had. She got us exceptionally close and it just wasn't meant to be... I'm sure she'll learn lots from that game and, you know, be a better player for it in the future. So, there's only an upside to it," Perry said.

DC had endured a heart-breaking one-run loss to UP Warriorz on Friday and then pulled off a one-run win over RCB to enter the knockouts. Shafali, who made 23 runs in Sunday’s game, appreciated the knocks of Shafali and Alice Capsey.

"In the last match, our batters couldn't click. For this game, all the batters took responsibility. The knocks (Alice) Capsey and Jemimah played were brilliant, especially on a wicket like this. From there, the momentum had set in and the score was formidable because we thought even a 150+ score on this wicket would be enough.

"After all, the ball was turning. Instead, the opposite happened and the ball was going straight to the bat! Our batting, blowing, everything is going well, touch wood. I hope this continues and we keep winning until the final," she concluded.