She strikes at 150 in WPL 2026.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s strong run in the WPL 2026, winning five games in a row and becoming the first team to qualify for the playoffs, must have boosted their confidence. However, they heavily relied on Nadine de Klerk for the finishing duties. Amidst this, emerging star Shreyanka Patil has sought guidance from RCB legend AB de Villiers to improve her finishing skills.
Speaking on AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel, the 22-year-old expressed her ambition to be the best finisher in the world. She asked the former RCB batter for advice on the mindset for handling the death overs while batting.
“What if you have just the last over and you’ve gone into bat? What should be my mindset? I want to be the best finisher in the world. So, whatever information I can get, I would love to take it to my advantage,” she asked ABD.
Shreyanka Patil has made an impact as a lower-order batter for RCB previously, despite getting limited opportunities to showcase her prowess. The right-hander has hammered 90 runs in 14 innings at an impressive strike rate of 150, highlighting her ability to score runs quickly. More recently, in the last match, Shreyanka hit a couple of boundaries on as many deliveries.
Facing pacer Kashvee Gautam, the first boundary came behind square leg as she shuffled across and came inside the line of the ball and swept. The other boundary came with a reverse sweep, bisecting the backward point and short third to finish the innings on high, showcasing the range of shots, time, and ability to play the field.
ALSO READ:
AB De Villiers, known for his audacious shots, highlighted the importance of observation and instinct. He also emphasised the importance of how faking body language sometimes gives a psychological advantage.
“You’ve watched 19 overs of others batting and seen the bowlers who are leaking runs, so you know which balls are easier to hit. Trust your instincts and focus on the basics—just three things: keep your head still, see the ball, and wait for it. And fake it till you make it. Walk out as if you’re the best batter in the world,” AB de Villiers suggested.
While she received valuable advice from one of the legends of the game, Patil is also sharing a dressing room with one of the best finishers in women’s cricket, South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk, who has consistently provided final flourishes for the Royal Challengers in WPL 2026. Working with De Klerk and De Villier’s advice could help her transition from a support player to a match-winner. As WPL 2026 intensifies and nears its knockout stages, the growth of Shreyanka Patil could only drive RCB to their second title.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
