Aakash Chopra Predicts Delhi Capitals to Claim First WPL Title and Smriti Mandhana as Orange Cap Contender
Aakash Chopra's Bold Predictions for WPL 2026
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 31: Aakash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer, has made an intriguing prediction regarding the upcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) season. He believes that the Delhi Capitals (DC), who have reached the finals three times, will finally clinch their inaugural title. Additionally, he has identified Smriti Mandhana, the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), as a leading candidate for the Orange Cap this season.
The fourth season of the WPL is set to kick off on January 9, featuring the defending champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), alongside RCB in the opening match.
During his appearance on JioStar's 'TATA WPL 2026 Predictions', Chopra expressed his confidence in DC's chances, stating, "I think Delhi Capitals will win this time. They have assembled a strong squad and have reached the finals in all three previous seasons. It's time for them to secure a victory."
Under the leadership of Meg Lanning, a renowned Australian captain, Delhi Capitals have made it to the finals in each of the past three seasons but have yet to secure a win. They faced defeats against MI by seven wickets, RCB by eight wickets, and a narrow loss to MI by eight runs last season, failing to chase down a target of 150 runs.
This season, the team will be led by Jemimah Rodrigues, an Indian batter who recently enjoyed success in the ICC Women’s World Cup, highlighted by her remarkable innings of 127* against Australia in the semifinals while chasing a daunting target of 339 runs.
Regarding the race for the Orange Cap, Chopra sees Smriti Mandhana as a strong contender, but he also acknowledges the potential of in-form DC opener Shafali Verma. He remarked, "I believe Smriti Mandhana could emerge as the top run-scorer this WPL season. She is a frontrunner for the Orange Cap, but Shafali Verma, opening for DC, is also a formidable competitor."
Mandhana had an impressive year in women's T20Is, amassing 341 runs in nine matches at an average of 37.88 and a strike rate exceeding 135, including a century and two fifties. She was the leading run-scorer in women's ODIs this year, accumulating 1,362 runs in 23 matches, featuring five centuries and five fifties.
In the league's history, Mandhana ranks as the seventh-highest run-scorer, with 646 runs in 26 matches at an average of 24.84 and a strike rate of over 128, including four fifties. Last season, despite RCB's failure to reach the playoffs, she scored 197 runs in eight matches at an average of 24.62 and a strike rate of 136.80, with two fifties.
Shafali Verma concluded the year with 417 runs in 10 T20I matches at an average of 52.12, including four fifties and a top score of 79*. She is the fourth-highest run-scorer in WPL history, with 865 runs in 27 matches at an average of 36.04 and a strike rate exceeding 162, along with six fifties and a best score of 84.
Last season, Shafali was instrumental in DC's runners-up finish, scoring 309 runs in nine innings at an average of 38.00 and a strike rate above 152, including one fifty.