The Australian batter scored a valiant 85 off just 40 deliveries to take the team over the line.
Grace in the name, graceful at the game! Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Grace Harris seemed in a hurry to get back to the team hotel during their fixture against the UP Warriorz. She steered her side home with a cracking 40-ball 85 as RCB won their second consecutive game of the season.
After the bowlers were successful in keeping the Warriorz down to 143/5, it was the Australian batter who took charge in the second innings. Grace Harris went berserk to an extent after which Smriti Mandhana just had to take singles and give her the strike.
As a result, the 2024 IPL champions now sit on the top of the points table with a staggering run-rate of 1.964 after their first two games. RCB and the Gujarat Giants (GG) are the only two sides that have not lost a match in the tournament so far.
However, when it comes to RCB, discussions have been surrounding them with respect to the batting. The XI that they chose against Mumbai Indians (MI) baffled a lot of spectators. However, skipper Smriti Mandhana has acknowledged the fact that Grace Harris would be opening the batting for the franchise in this edition.
“Yeah, we had a little bit of discussion on how we want the batting order to look like because she can do middle order as well because that’s what she does for the Aussie team. But she does open for the Brisbane Heat at Big Bash,” said Mandhana after the game.
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The 32-year-old just gave a pictorial representation of why it makes sense for her to open the batting. The Australian has the ability to go berserk and the bowlers to the cleaners at will. Moreover, she has a strike-rate of 155.52 in T20Is, which makes her a lethal option at the top.
Though most of her T20I innings have come in the middle order, she features as an opener in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). She is closing in on 3,,000 runs in the Aussie franchise league at a strike-rate of around 131.
To add to that, RCB would have to work something around their batting order, which has taken a hit after the absence of Ellyse Perry, who pulled out of the season citing personal reasons. Nadine de Klerk’s brilliance took them over the line in the first game of the season, and it was Grace Harris this time.
Having said that, the 2024 WPL champions will have to figure out a way to enhance their middle-order in the best manner possible. It is the middle-order which holds a lot of problems for the franchise with respect to batting depth being a concern.
“I think we all were very, very clear of how dangerous she can be up front. And if she gets going, it’s almost you take away the match from the opposition. So, yeah, we thought we’ll back her in the powerplay,” said the RCB skipper about Grace Harris.
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