Royal Challengers Bengaluru 204 for 4 (Mandhana 87, Voll 79, Henry 2-34) beat Delhi Capitals 203 for 4 (Rodrigues 57, Wolvaardt 44, Lee 37, Henry 35*) by six wickets
Georgia Voll and Smriti Mandhana masterminded the highest-ever chase in WPL history to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their second title, denying Delhi Capitals (DC) for the fourth time in a final.
The match went down to the wire, with RCB losing three wickets in just 14 balls towards the end. With eight needed off four balls, Radha Yadav hit two consecutive boundaries off N Shree Charani to complete a thrilling chase.
Mandhana and Voll came together at 9 for 1 in RCB's chase of 204, and put on 165 off just 92 balls. It was the highest-ever partnership for any wicket in the WPL. This win marked the second time RCB have triumphed over DC in a WPL final, the first coming in 2024.
Lee starts strong
After being put in, DC began steadily before Lizelle Lee took charge, launching back-to-back sixes off Sayali Satghare in the fourth over. Lee swung a floaty half-volley cleanly through the line over mid-off, and dispatched a half-tracker over deep midwicket. In a chaotic over that included six runs off wides, Satghare ended up conceding 20 runs and also spilled a chance of Shafali Verma.
Shafali, however, could not capitalise on her chance. Though she hit two fours off Arundhati Reddy in the sixth over, she edged to the keeper in the same over, departing for 20 off 13 balls.
Laura Wolvaardt then joined Lee, and the duo took charge of the innings, hitting 19 runs off offspinner Shreyanka Patil in the seventh over which included three fours and a six.
Then Nadine de Klerk came on and created an impact straightaway. After Lee had an lbw decision reversed, de Klerk struck back in the same over, drawing her into a big swing and a miscue that went straight up and was taken by Grace Harris charging in from long-on.
Captain Rodrigues takes over
Jemimah Rodrigues, having found form in recent games, was in full flow on the day. She looked in sublime touch, punishing remotely wide, not letting the momentum slip away after Lee's dismissal.
When Radha Yadav strayed full, she caressed her past extra cover for her first boundary of the day. She kept peppering that region, driving de Klerk twice and Patil once for fours in the 10th and 11th overs respectively. Then she hit Patil for two more fours in the same over, bending her back knee to slog over short midwicket and rocking back to cut behind point.
She soon brought up her half-century off 32 balls but departed shortly after, holing out to deep backward square leg off a full-toss.
Full report to follow...
