Cricket fans have expressed their disbelief after Ellyse Perry was sensationally snubbed by her own captain and coach in the Women’s Premier League in a decision that backfired brutally. Perry continued her sublime form with the bat for Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday night, making 90 not out off just 56 balls.

But the match had to be decided in a super-over after the UP Warriorz finished level after 20 overs on 180. In controversial scenes, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana went out to bat in the super-over with Richa Ghosh, leaving Perry on the sidelines despite her incredible innings.

That call backfired spectacularly, with Mandhana and Ghosh only managing four runs off Sophie Ecclestone’s over after the Warriorz finished 1-8. Aussie bowler Kim Garth did well to restrict the Warriorz to eight runs, but Mandhana and Ghosh couldn’t get anything decent off Ecclestone.

Speaking after the match, Mandhana admitted she should have sent Perry out to bat. “As a team, really have to tell [Perry] we are sorry,” she said. “It was brilliant to watch her batting. How could we not win that game for her.”

Cricket world blasts RCB call to snub Ellyse Perry

Cricket fans and commentators weren’t particularly forgiving, blasting the decision to overlook Perry as a “disgrace” and “joke”. One person wrote on social media: “So in the super over RCB chose to send Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh above Ellyse Perry and Wyatt-Hodge. WHAT A JOKE.”

Another commented: “This team doesn’t deserve Ellyse Perry. Back to back fifties in losing cause because of her teammates. The management also sent Smriti over her in the Super Over. It’s a disgrace.”

Some even felt Danni Wyatt-Hodge would have been a better choice, after the English player had earlier made 57 off 41 while opening the batting. Mandhana made just 6 off 9 in the normal overs, while Ghosh made 8 off 6.

Ellyse Perry continues blistering batting form in WPL

Perry looked as if she might become the first centurion in WPL history when she took 16 off the penultimate over. But she and compatriot Garth could only manage six of the final over bowled by Ecclestone.

She ultimately had to settle for equalling the fourth-highest score, joining fellow Aussie Tahlia McGrath, who also made 90 not out in 2023. She also took 1-10 off two overs while bowling for the first time in the competition due to a hip injury.

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Perry, who hit nine fours and three sixes on Monday night, has now made two of the WPL’s top-10 all-time scores within four days. She blasted 81 off 43 balls in RCB’s last match, which they also lost to Mumbai Indians.

“It was amazing to experience that,” said Ecclestone of the super over. “That’s probably been as nervous as I have been in five years of cricket.”

with AAP