RCB Triumphs Over Delhi Capitals in WPL 2026: Mandhana and Bowling Unit Shine
RCB's Dominant Performance Against Delhi Capitals
In Navi Mumbai, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana commended her team's bowling after a commanding victory against the Delhi Capitals in the 11th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 on Saturday. Meanwhile, DC's skipper Jemimah Rodrigues acknowledged Shafali Verma's impressive batting but recognized the need for improvement in their bowling department.
Chasing a target of 167 runs, Mandhana was exceptional, scoring 96 runs off 61 balls, which included 13 boundaries and three sixes. Georgia Voll also contributed significantly with an unbeaten 54 runs from 42 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes. On the bowling side, Lauren Bell (3 wickets for 26 runs in four overs) and Sayali Satghare (3 wickets for 27 runs in three overs) were key players, alongside Prema Rawat, who took 2 wickets for just 16 runs in three overs.
After being awarded Player of the Match for her stellar innings, Mandhana praised her bowlers for their execution of plans, particularly in the initial overs. She stated, "It was fantastic to see everyone bowling effectively, especially in the first three overs. Sayali and Bell performed excellently. Everyone executed the strategies well, and Anya's experience was invaluable. We aimed to keep Shafali off the strike, and the bowlers did a great job during that phase."
Mandhana noted that chasing made batting easier, allowing her to identify which bowlers to target. She also mentioned that bringing Georgia Voll in at No. 3 enhanced the batting order, providing better balance to the team.
"Chasing is much simpler than setting a target since you can gauge what a good score is. After losing Grace, I knew which bowlers to attack and which to defend against. It worked out well. We felt one batter short in the previous matches, and Voll's inclusion at No. 3 was a perfect fit," Mandhana elaborated.
On the other hand, Jemimah Rodrigues praised Shafali's aggressive innings that lifted the team from a precarious 10/4 to a total of 166. However, she admitted that the bowling performance needs to be addressed and expressed confidence in returning with a fearless approach.
Rodrigues remarked, "Shafali's innings from 10 for 4 was remarkable, and I was thrilled with her intent. Lucy, in her debut, was calm under pressure and helped us reach a competitive score. Regarding not bowling Kapp earlier, there are always those moments. Perhaps I could have brought Kapp back sooner, but Nandani bowled well too. We need to improve our bowling and come back stronger; we have nothing to lose and will go all out."
In their chase of 167, RCB faced an early setback with the loss of opener Grace Harris (1), dismissed by DC's Marizanne Kapp. However, a remarkable partnership of 142 runs off 91 balls not only revived RCB's chances but also kept them unbeaten in WPL 2026. Although Mandhana was dismissed in the closing stages, Voll remained not out, guiding RCB to victory with a boundary and 10 balls to spare.
For Delhi Capitals, only Marizanne Kapp (1-21 in four overs) and Nandini Sharma (1-34 in four overs) managed to take wickets during the match.
Earlier, Delhi Capitals were bowled out for 166 runs in their 20 overs. After a disastrous start at 10/4, they struggled to 74/6 at one point, losing key players including wicketkeeper-batter Lizelle Lee (4), Laura Wolvaardt (0), captain Jemimah Rodrigues (4), Marizanne Kapp (0), Niki Prasad (12), and Minnu Mani (5).
Shafali Verma was the standout performer for Delhi, scoring 62 runs off 41 balls, featuring five fours and four sixes. She received support from Sneh Rana (22) and Lucy Hamilton (36), helping the team reach a total of 166.