In a final that topped all the hype, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) redefined history by defeating Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets and taking their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) crown. RCB's biggest successful run-chase in games of the final was at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara on Thursday night when they hunted a mammoth target of 204 with two balls to spare.
Mandhana v Voll: Record-setting STAND
Chasing 204 was never going to be easy, especially after losing Grace Harris early. But Captain Smriti Mandhana had what many have described as the "innings of her life." Mandhana smacked a blistering 87 off 41 balls and went on to have her half-century with a record 23 deliveries -- the fastest ever in a WPL final.
She found the perfect ally in Georgia Voll, who hammered down a stunning 79 off 54 balls. They stitched a historic 165-run partnership for the second wicket and took the game from Delhi, taking the tournament away.
DC’s Heartbreak Continues
Earlier in the evening, the Delhi Capitals had been primed to score what appeared to be a first title victory. In this latter final, DC scored 203/4, the highest total in a WPL final, with Jemimah Rodrigues atop the charts – 57 off 37.
- Rapid start: Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee.
- Chinelle Henry gave late-over fireworks with 35 off 15 balls.
- Lauren Bell was the underrecognized hero with the ball for RCB, with an economy of 4.75 finish on a night where 400+ runs were made. Even against this formidable total, however, DC's bowling unit faltered before the Mandhana-Voll onslaught.
This is Delhi’s fourth straight defeat in a WPL final, which the most regular side in league history finds bitter to swallow.
The Winning Moment
After that, the game ended with what turned out to be something of a dramatic twist as both set batters walked off, leaving RCB needing 10 runs off the final over. Radha Yadav kept her cool against her old team by crashing back-to-back boundaries off the final over at RCB dugout into wild celebrations.
With this victory, RCB joins Mumbai Indians as the only two with two WPL trophies.
