Best friends Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues face off in WPL final today

Dubai: It’s no secret that Indian cricketers Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues share one of the closest friendships in the game. So popular is their bond within cricketing circles that the duo is fondly known as “JemRiti”.

On Thursday, however, friendship will take a back seat as the two face off in the Women’s Premier League final, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Delhi Capitals (DC) in a blockbuster clash in Vadodara.

RCB will be aiming to draw level with Mumbai Indians as the most successful team in WPL history, while Delhi Capitals will be desperate to end their agonising run of near-misses. DC have finished runners-up in all three previous editions and are chasing their maiden title after three consecutive final defeats.

RCB have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround this season. They became the first team in WPL history to win their opening five matches, setting the tone for a dominant campaign. Delhi, meanwhile, have once again shown consistency and resilience, determined to finally go one step further.

RCB last played on January 29 before heading to Goa for a short break. The players relaxed in their own ways — some partied, some soaked up the sun, some played golf, while others, including Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav, danced. Mandhana took in the downtime alongside replacement players Arundhati Reddy and Sayali Satghare, who joined the squad in place of Ellyse Perry.

Mandhana explained that the break was crucial after a demanding run of back-to-back matches, allowing the team to refresh and refocus ahead of the high-pressure final.

“Yeah, it was very important. Six days of just thinking about cricket — who’s going to come, what’s going to happen — it can get a bit much. Going away for the first two or three days really helped. We had a lot of back-to-back games early on, so the break was good for all of us,” Mandhana said at the pre-final press conference.

The 29-year-old, who has scored 290 runs in eight matches, added that the squad returned from Goa and trained intensely in the lead-up to the final, insisting that staying idle in hotel rooms would not have helped.

“Coming back on February 2nd, 3rd and 4th and practicing extremely hard has been the most important part for this team. I’m really happy everyone got that break, enjoyed time together, and came back feeling fresh.

“Sometimes just sitting in a hotel room without doing much can lead to overthinking. So I’m glad RCB took us to Goa,” she added.

On the other side, Jemimah Rodrigues has shown maturity and leadership while steering Delhi Capitals. The 25-year-old found a new gear during India’s triumphant ODI World Cup campaign last year and has carried that form and confidence forward.

“In the last three or four months, I think I’ve grown the most — especially in the last month as a captain,” Jemimah said. “The best part about captaincy is that I’ve thought less about myself and more about the team. That took a lot of pressure off me and gave me the space to not overthink my own game.”