RCB Makes History with WPL Title and Record Chase
RCB's Historic Victory in the WPL Final
Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], February 6: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) celebrated a remarkable achievement as they clinched their second Women’s Premier League (WPL) title, successfully chasing down the highest total ever recorded in both IPL and WPL finals.
Despite losing Grace Harris early in the match, RCB's captain Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll formed a groundbreaking partnership that propelled their team to a third franchise cricket title, marking a historic moment as they now hold both the WPL and IPL titles simultaneously.
The chase of 204 runs set a new record for the highest target successfully chased in WPL and IPL finals, surpassing the previous record of 200 runs set by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2014 IPL final against Punjab Kings.
This victory also marks the first instance of a team successfully chasing a target over 175 runs in any Women’s T20 final, whether in leagues or international matches.
Additionally, this chase stands as the most successful run chase in WPL history, eclipsing RCB's previous record of 202 runs against Gujarat Giants in the 2025 edition.
In the match, RCB won the toss and chose to bowl first. Lizelle Lee contributed 37 runs off 30 balls, while Shafali Verma added 20 runs off 13 balls, giving their team a strong start. A significant 76-run partnership between Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 57 runs off 37 balls, and Laura Wolvaardt, who made 44 runs off 35 balls, helped stabilize the innings. Just when RCB seemed to gain control, Chinelle Henry's explosive 35 runs off 15 balls propelled DC to a total of 203/4 in 20 overs, the highest score in a WPL final.
During the chase, RCB faced an early setback with Grace Harris's dismissal for 8 runs. However, a phenomenal 165-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana, who scored 87 runs off 41 balls, and Georgia Voll, who contributed 79 runs off 54 balls, significantly boosted RCB's chances. Although DC managed to take three quick wickets towards the end, Radha Yadav (12*) and Nadine de Klerk (7*) successfully guided RCB to victory with six wickets remaining and two balls to spare.
Mandhana was named the 'Player of the Match' for her outstanding performance.