Keralite leg-spinner Asha Shobana came up with a match-winning spell of 5/22 in Royal Challengers Bangalore's thrilling two-run win over UP Warriorz in a Women's Premier League (WPL) match on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old from Thiruvananthapuram accounted for Vrinda Dinesh and Tahlia McGrath early in her spell. Asha, who has played for Kerala, Railways and Puducherry in addition to India 'A', then scalped three in her final over to hurt Warriorz big time.
Asha, who won the player-of-the-match award, also became the first Indian to claim five wickets in the WPL.
Asha along with Minnu Mani were the two Kerala players to be picked up in the inaugural WPL auction last year. Asha played five matches in WPL 2023 and picked up five wickets for RCB. She has equalled that tally in her very first outing this season.