Smriti Mandhana Leads RCB to WPL Glory with Historic Final Win

In a thrilling final, Smriti Mandhana led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second Women's Premier League title, defeating the Delhi Capitals by six wickets. Mandhana's exceptional performance throughout the season, including a match-winning 87 runs in the final, earned her the Orange Cap as the top run-scorer. 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 standout performances and key moments from this exciting match.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 6, 2026, 03:23 IST

RCB Claims Second WPL Title

On Thursday, Smriti Mandhana guided the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their second Women's Premier League (WPL) championship, triumphing over the Delhi Capitals by six wickets at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. With this victory, Mandhana joins the ranks of Harmanpreet Kaur as the only captains to secure two WPL titles, having previously led the Mumbai Indians to victory in 2023 and 2025.

Mandhana's Stellar Performance

This marks RCB's second WPL title, following their inaugural win in the 2024 season. The 29-year-old Mandhana was the standout performer, finishing as the top run-scorer of the 2026 WPL season with a total of 377 runs across nine innings, earning her the Orange Cap for the first time. Her impressive tally is the second-highest in WPL history, trailing only Nat Sciver-Brunt's 523 runs from the previous season, which helped MI clinch the title.

Mandhana maintained an average of 53.86 and a strike rate exceeding 150. Her highest score of the season, 96 runs off 61 balls, was achieved against the Delhi Capitals during the league phase. In the final, she played a crucial innings of 87 runs, leading RCB to victory. Notably, this final marked the first instance of a team successfully chasing a target of over 175 runs in any Women's T20 final, whether in leagues or international matches.

Bowling Achievements and Rising Stars

Nandani Sharma, an uncapped seamer from the Delhi Capitals, 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 the Gujarat Giants, who had a superior economy rate. Despite this, Sharma was recognized as the Emerging Player of the Season for her remarkable contributions throughout the tournament, although she has yet to make her international debut for India.

Historic Chase by RCB

In a remarkable display, Mandhana and Georgia Voll combined for a partnership of 165 runs for the second wicket, enabling RCB to chase down a formidable target of 204 runs. Mandhana's score of 87 also set a record for the highest individual score in a WPL final.

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