Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) championship under the captaincy of Smriti Mandhana at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Thursday.
In the final, Mandhana led RCB to a clinical six-wicket triumph over Jemimah Rodrigues’ Delhi Capitals with an elegant 87 off 41 balls. RCB completed the incredible 204-run chase thanks to her effort and Georgia Voll’s devastating 79 off 54 balls, winning with 2 balls to spare.
When Chinelle Henry castled Grace Harris for 9 (7), RCB suffered an early setback in the run chase. After that, Mandhana and Voll formed a crucial partnership, adding 165 runs off 92 balls for the second wicket. Additionally, this was the best partnership for any wicket in the competition’s history.
After RCB lost Voll and powerful wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh in quick succession, Delhi attempted a late comeback in the match. Nandni Sharma dismissed Ghosh for a run-a-ball six.
This is the fourth time in a row that Delhi lost in the final.
Earlier, the Delhi Capitals scored an impressive 203/4 thanks to a brilliant half-century from captain Jemimah Rodrigues and a 15-ball 35 from Chinelle Henry.
After Delhi Capitals were asked to bat, Laura Wolvaardt (44 not out off 25 balls) and Lizelle Lee (37 off 30) contributed quick runs, while Jemimah Rodrigues led the way with a fluid 57 off 37 balls.
Shafali Verma and Lee found it difficult to find width and free their arms as Royal Challengers Bengaluru got off to a tight start, with Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare giving up just nine runs in the first three overs.
When Lee targeted Satghare in the fourth over by hitting two consecutive sixes off a half-volley and a half-tracker, one over long-off and the other over mid-wicket, the pressure subsided. Richa Ghosh’s deft work and Satghare’s failed caught-and-bowled opportunity also provoked a stumping appeal in the over, which resulted in a thrilling spell that gave DC 20 runs and turned the tide.
Arundhati Reddy was added to the attack by captain Smriti Mandhana after the Capitals had reached 36 for no loss after five overs. Shafali hit two boundaries right away, but Reddy was quick to respond, removing her with a well-placed short ball that Ghosh gathered well behind the stumps.
While Lee pursued off-spinner Shreyanka Patil, hitting two fours and a six in quick succession to reduce DC to 72 for one in seven overs, Wolvaardt made her intentions known with a classy boundary. Compatriot Nadine de Klerk eventually removed the threatening Lee by inducing a mistimed shot that Grace Harris safely grabbed while rushing in from long-on.
After that, Rodrigues joined Wolvaardt, and the two formed a 76-run partnership that kept RCB firmly under pressure.
