Smriti Mandhana Leads RCB to Historic WPL Victory Over Delhi Capitals

In a thrilling final, Smriti Mandhana propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second Women’s Premier League title, defeating Delhi Capitals by six wickets. Mandhana's remarkable performance included a match-winning 87 runs, making her the highest run-scorer of the season with 377 runs. This victory marks a historic moment as RCB chased down a record target of 204 runs, showcasing their dominance in the tournament. Discover more about the match highlights and individual achievements in this exciting recap.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 6, 2026, 02:51 IST

RCB Clinches Second WPL Title

Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], February 6: Smriti Mandhana guided the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) championship, triumphing over Delhi Capitals by six wickets in the final match held at the BCA Stadium on Thursday.

With this victory, Mandhana joins the ranks of captains who have lifted the WPL trophy twice, following in the footsteps of Harmanpreet Kaur from the Mumbai Indians, who secured titles in 2023 and 2025. This marks RCB's second WPL title, having previously won in the 2024 season.

The 29-year-old cricketer finished the 2026 WPL season as the top run-scorer, amassing 377 runs across nine innings, earning her the Orange Cap for the first time.

Her total of 377 runs ranks as the second-highest in a single WPL season, trailing only Nat Sciver-Brunt's impressive 523 runs from the previous season, which contributed to MI's championship win.

Mandhana maintained an average of 53.86 and a strike rate exceeding 150, with her highest score of the season being 96 runs off 61 balls against Delhi Capitals during the league phase. In the final, she played a crucial innings of 87 runs, leading RCB to victory.

This final also marked a historic moment as it was the first instance of a team successfully chasing down a target of over 175 runs in any Women’s T20 final, whether in leagues or international matches.

On the bowling front, Nandani Sharma from Delhi Capitals, an uncapped Indian seamer, emerged as a joint leading wicket-taker with 17 wickets. However, the Purple Cap for the highest wicket-taker was awarded to Sophie Devine of Gujarat Giants, who had a superior economy rate.

Sharma was recognized as the Emerging Player of the Season for her remarkable performances throughout the tournament, despite not yet having made her international debut.

Earlier in the match, Mandhana and Georgia Voll combined for a significant partnership of 165 runs for the second wicket, which was pivotal in RCB's chase of a formidable target of 204 runs. Mandhana's 87 runs also set the record for the highest individual score in a WPL final.

By successfully chasing the highest total in WPL history, Mandhana's team made a remarkable statement in the tournament's finale. Previously, RCB held the record for chasing down 202 runs against Gujarat Giants last year.