WPL 2026: Smriti, Georgia lead RCB to second title win with six-wicket victory over DC

Vadodara: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) etched their name in history on Thursday, clinching their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) title with a commanding six-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals at the BCA Stadium. In a high-octane final, RCB chased down a daunting target of 204 with two balls to spare, registering the highest successful run chase in a WPL summit clash. The victory marks a golden era for the franchise, making RCB the first team to hold both the IPL and WPL crowns simultaneously. Conversely, it was another heart-wrenching evening for Delhi Capitals, who succumbed to their fourth consecutive defeat in a final despite posting the highest-ever first-innings total in a title match.

Chasing 204, RCB faced an early setback when Grace Harris was castled by Chinelle Henry for nine, but that was the last moment of joy for DC for a long stretch. Captain Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll joined forces to construct a match-defining 165-run partnership off just 92 balls. Mandhana, shaking off a slow start where she managed only six runs off her first five balls, shifted gears spectacularly to smash 87 off 41 deliveries, an innings laced with 12 fours and three sixes. Her knock not only anchored the chase but also crowned her the tournament’s leading run-scorer. At the other end, Voll was sublime, scoring 79 off 54 balls and piercing the field with 14 boundaries. The duo’s dominance was such that they found the fence in almost every over, dismantling the DC attack with precision.

There was late drama when DC dismissed both set batters and Richa Ghosh in quick succession, capitalizing on the pressure of the death overs. However, Radha Yadav extinguished any hopes of a Delhi comeback, striking consecutive boundaries off Sree Charani in the final over to seal the trophy.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals displayed immense batting depth after being asked to bat. Despite a quiet start, scoring only nine runs in the first three overs, the innings ignited when Lizelle Lee took the attack to the bowlers. Following her departure, captain Jemimah Rodrigues took charge, top-scoring with a classy 57. She found able support in Laura Wolvaardt (44 off 25), as the pair kept the scoreboard ticking against both pace and spin. The innings reached a crescendo thanks to Chinelle Henry, who played a blistering cameo of 35 off just 15 balls. Her late assault, particularly against Nadine de Klerk, helped DC plunder 55 runs in the last four overs, setting what seemed like a winning total of 203/4. For RCB, Lauren Bell was the lone standout with the ball, delivering a disciplined spell of 0-19, while the rest of the attack struggled to contain the flow of runs.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 203/4 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 57, Laura Wolvaardt 44; Chinelle Henry 35*; Arundhati Reddy 1-40) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 204/4 in 19.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 87, Georgia Voll 79; Chinelle Henry 2-34) by six wickets.

(Inputs from IANS)