Kamal Ghorui
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) title after beating Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets in the final on Thursday in Vadodara, completing a record chase with two balls to spare. It was another disappointing end for Delhi Capitals, who were playing their fourth straight final in as many seasons and again finished runners-up.Chasing 204, RCB were led by captain Smriti Mandhana, who scored 87 off 41 balls, and Georgia Voll, who made 79 off 54 deliveries. The pair added 165 runs for the second wicket, a partnership that decided the contest. With this win, RCB drew level with Mumbai Indians (MI) as the most successful teams in the WPL.
Delhi Capitals had earlier posted 203 for four after being asked to bat. Skipper Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored with 57 off 37 balls, anchoring the innings after Shafali Varma and Lizelle Lee provided a strong start. Chinelle Henry provided the late push with 35 off just 15 balls. Laura Wolvaardt remained unbeaten on 44 off 25 balls, while Lizelle Lee made 37 off 30 deliveries. Shafali Verma also contributed at the top before falling in the powerplay.RCB began well with the ball, as Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare conceded only nine runs in the first three overs. The pressure eased in the fourth over when Lee struck Satghare for two sixes. That over also included a stumping appeal created by Richa Ghosh and a difficult caught-and-bowled chance that Satghare could not hold. Delhi reached 36 after five overs.Arundhati Reddy was brought into the attack and removed Shafali Verma with a short ball, which was taken by Ghosh behind the stumps. Wolvaardt and Lee then increased the scoring, with Lee taking on Shreyanka Patil for two fours and a six as Delhi moved to 72 for one in seven overs. Nadine de Klerk broke the partnership by dismissing Lee, who was caught by Grace Harris running in from long-on.Rodrigues and Wolvaardt added 76 runs for the next wicket, keeping the innings on track. Henry’s late hitting ensured Delhi crossed the 200 mark.In reply, RCB lost Grace Harris early for nine, but Mandhana and Voll kept the chase under control. They scored freely through the middle overs and reached 100 at the halfway stage, needing 104 from 60 balls. Mandhana brought up her fifty in 23 balls and continued to find boundaries, while Voll matched her at the other end.RCB reached 150 in the 14th over, needing 54 from 36 balls. Voll was dismissed by Minnu Mani, briefly giving Delhi hope, but RCB stayed calm and finished the chase. The result meant RCB once again defeated Delhi Capitals in a final, repeating the outcome of the 2024 title match.
