Smriti Mandhana, Georgia Voll star as RCB emerge WPL champions for second time

Dubai: Skipper Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll stitched together a superb record century partnership as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Delhi Capitals by six wickets to clinch the Women’s Premier League title for the second time in four years on Thursday.

In the final at Vadodara, RCB produced a stunning batting display to chase down a daunting target of 204, getting the job done in 19.4 overs. This was highest successful chase in WPL history. After the early loss of opener Grace Harris for nine, Voll joined Mandhana and the duo completely took control of the chase. Their second-wicket stand of 165 runs proved decisive.

Mandhana led from the front with a scintillating 87 off 41 balls, smashing 12 fours and three sixes, while Voll played a composed yet aggressive knock of 79 off 54 deliveries, including 14 boundaries.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals posted an imposing 203/4 in their 20 overs, riding on strong contributions from skipper Jemimah Rodrigues, Laura Wolvaardt and Chinelle Henry. Rodrigues top-scored with 57, Wolvaardt added a brisk 44, and Henry provided late fireworks with an unbeaten 35.

Despite a slow start, Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma upped the tempo to take the score to 36/0 after five overs. Arundhati Reddy then provided the breakthrough, dismissing Verma for 20 off 13 balls to end the 53-run opening stand.

Nadine de Klerk struck in the eighth over to remove Lee for 37 off 30 balls, leaving Delhi at 74/2. At the halfway mark, the Capitals were 94/2, with Rodrigues and Wolvaardt stabilising the innings.

The pair continued to build momentum, taking Delhi to 113/2 after 12 overs. Rodrigues brought up her half-century in just 32 balls during the 15th over, the second-fastest fifty in WPL playoffs history, behind Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 29-ball effort last season. She also became only the third player to score a fifty in a WPL final, after Harmanpreet Kaur and Sciver-Brunt.

Sayali Satghare ended Rodrigues’ innings in the 16th over, with the Delhi skipper scoring 57 off 37 balls, including eight fours. By the end of the 18th over, Delhi had surged to 164/3.

A blazing finish from Chinelle Henry, who smashed an unbeaten 35 off 15 balls with four fours and two sixes, along with Wolvaardt’s fluent 44 off 25 deliveries, powered Delhi to a mammoth total of 204.