Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana said after her team’s first-ever Women’s Premier League (WPL) title win that the team learned a lot from a poor showing in the inaugural season. She also thanked the fans and team management for their unwavering support. In the championship match at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated the Delhi Capitals by eight wickets behind an all-around performance that included yet another strong knock from Ellyse Perry and two outstanding bowling performances from spinners Shreyanka Patil and Sophie Molineux. This was the team’s first-ever victory in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). After winning just two of the eight games in the first edition, they finished in second last place. This victory comes after that.
Following her victory, Smriti stated that she was still processing the feeling and was unsure of how to properly convey it.
“Perhaps it will take some time for the feeling to fully sink in. It’s difficult for me to express myself freely. All I can say is that I’m proud of the group. We have experienced highs and lows, but they have persevered, and the way we crossed the line tonight was incredible’, Smriti remarked.
The team’s captain stated that although they had a great Bengaluru leg, they suffered two hard losses in Delhi. But to peak at the appropriate moment was crucial, she continued.
The most recent league game resembled a quarter, followed by a semifinal and a final. You have to peak at the right moment in these kinds of tournaments. We learned a lot from last year as a team, as captains, and as players. The management has been through a lot, and I give them a big thumbs up for supporting me during the post-season review. It is fantastic for them to have this trophy. The team has triumphed; I am not the only one with the trophy. Winning is really, really special for RCB as a franchise, Smriti said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said after the team’s victory that the fans of the Royal Bengal Bengals had been dreaming of this for decades and that he hoped the men’s team would win the Indian Premier League.
“To win the title, RCB defeated the Delhi team in today’s #TATAWPL final match. Our girls gave an excellent performance, maintaining a focused effort throughout the competition. I love cricket, so this victory makes me very happy. Today, RCB supporters’ long-held dream has come true. My hope is that our boys will also win the IPL trophy. The CM tweeted, “This time the cup is down…… @RCBTweets #PlayBold #RCBvDC #TATAWPLFinal.”
After winning the toss, DC decided to bat first. The team got off to a great start with a quickfire 64-run opening stand between openers Shafali Varma (44 in 27 balls, with two fours and three sixes) and captain Meg Lanning (23 in 23 balls, with three fours).
But shortly after the powerplay, Shreyanka Patil (4/12), Sophie Molineux (3/20), and Asha Sobhana (2/14) enabled RCB to recover and dismiss Delhi hitters one by one, setting off an unbelievable batting collapse. In 18.3 overs, DC was all out for 113 runs.
A 49-run opening stand, spearheaded by Sophie Devine (32 in 27 balls, with five fours and a six), helped RCB mount a 114-run chase. But in the middle overs, Delhi bowlers put RCB to the test, and captain Smriti Mandhana (31 in 39 balls, three fours) left at a critical time, leaving RCB at 82/2 in 15 overs. But with three balls remaining, Ellyse Perry (35* in 37 balls, four boundaries) and Richa Ghosh (17* in 14 balls, two fours) completed the chase.
For DC, Minnu Mani and Shikha Pandey each claimed a wicket.
 captain Smriti Mandhana said after her team's first-ever Women's Premier League (WPL) title win){kind=link}