Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) title on Thursday. They defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets in the final played in Vadodara.
RCB chased a challenging target of 204 runs and finished the match with two balls remaining. The victory confirmed RCB’s strong form in pressure matches.
For Delhi Capitals, the result brought fresh disappointment. The team reached the WPL final for the fourth consecutive season. However, they once again failed to lift the trophy.
Mandhana and Voll dominate final chase
RCB captain Smriti Mandhana played a match-winning innings. She scored 87 runs off 41 balls. Her knock included several boundaries and kept the required run rate under control.
Georgia Voll supported Mandhana with a composed innings. She scored 79 runs from 54 balls and rotated the strike well.
The pair added 165 runs for the second wicket. This partnership proved decisive in the final. Delhi bowlers struggled to break the stand and lost control during the middle overs.
With this win, RCB drew level with Mumbai Indians (MI) as the most successful teams in WPL history. Both teams now have two titles each.
Delhi Capitals post strong total batting first
Earlier, Delhi Capitals chose to bat first and posted 203 for four in their 20 overs. The total gave them confidence heading into the break.
Captain Jemimah Rodrigues led the batting effort. She scored 57 runs off 37 balls and anchored the innings.
Delhi got off to a fast start. Shafali Verma attacked early before falling in the powerplay. Lizelle Lee continued the momentum and scored 37 runs off 30 balls.
Laura Wolvaardt played a steady innings in the middle overs. She remained unbeaten on 44 runs from 25 balls and kept the scoreboard moving.
In the final overs, Chinelle Henry provided the late surge. She smashed 35 runs off just 15 balls, helping Delhi cross the 200-run mark.
RCB bowlers make early impact
RCB bowlers started the match well. Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare bowled tight lines in the opening overs. They conceded only nine runs in the first three overs.
Delhi responded in the fourth over when Lizelle Lee hit two sixes. The over also featured a missed chance in the field.
Arundhati Reddy then removed Shafali Verma with a short delivery. Richa Ghosh completed the catch behind the stumps.
Later, Nadine de Klerk broke the Lee-Wolvaardt partnership. Grace Harris took the catch near the boundary.
Rodrigues and Wolvaardt added 76 runs for the next wicket. Their stand kept Delhi on track for a big score.
Early wicket but steady response from RCB
RCB’s chase began with an early setback. Grace Harris fell for nine runs.
Mandhana and Voll then rebuilt the innings with calm batting. They focused on singles and punished loose balls.
RCB reached 100 runs at the halfway mark. At that stage, they needed 104 runs from 60 balls.
Mandhana reached her half-century in just 23 balls. She continued to attack the bowlers. Voll matched her pace and played confidently.
RCB reached 150 runs in the 14th over. The target came down to 54 runs from 36 balls.
Calm finish seals title
Delhi found brief hope when Minnu Mani dismissed Georgia Voll. However, RCB batters stayed composed.
They avoided risks and focused on finishing the match. RCB crossed the target with two balls remaining and sealed the title.
The win repeated the result of the 2024 WPL final, where RCB had also defeated Delhi Capitals.
Once again, RCB proved their strength in finals. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, will reflect on another near miss as they search for their first WPL title.