Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll lead RCB to second WPL title

Georgia Voll and Smriti Mandhana masterminded the highest-ever chase in WPL history to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their second title, denying Delhi Capitals (DC) for the fourth time in a final.

The match went down to the wire, with RCB losing three wickets in just 14 balls towards the end. With eight needed off four balls, Radha Yadav hit two consecutive boundaries off N Shree Charani to complete a thrilling chase.

Mandhana and Voll came together at 9 for 1 in RCB's chase of 204, and put on 165 off just 92 balls. It was the highest-ever partnership for any wicket in the WPL. This win marked the second time RCB have triumphed over DC in a WPL final, the first coming in 2024.

After being put in, DC began steadily before Lizelle Lee took charge, launching back-to-back sixes off Sayali Satghare in the fourth over. In a chaotic over that included six runs off wides, Satghare ended up conceding 20 runs and also spilled a chance of Shafali Verma.

Shafali, however, could not capitalise on her chance. Though she hit two fours off Arundhati Reddy in the sixth over, she edged to the keeper in the same over, departing for 20 off 13 balls.

Laura Wolvaardt then joined Lee, and the duo took charge of the innings, hitting 19 runs off offspinner Shreyanka Patil in the seventh over which included three fours and a six.

Then Nadine de Klerk came on and created an impact straightaway. After Lee had an lbw decision reversed, de Klerk struck back in the same over, drawing her into a big swing and a miscue that went straight up and was taken by Grace Harris charging in from long-on.

Jemimah Rodrigues, having found form in recent games, was in full flow on the day. She looked in sublime touch, punishing remotely wide, not letting the momentum slip away after Lee's dismissal.

When Radha Yadav strayed full, she caressed her past extra cover for her first boundary of the day. She kept peppering that region, driving de Klerk twice and Patil once for fours in the 10th and 11th overs respectively. Then she hit Patil for two more fours in the same over, bending her back knee to slog over short midwicket and rocking back to cut behind point.

She soon brought up her half-century off 32 balls but departed shortly after, holing out to deep backward square leg off a full-toss.

Wolvaardt began steadily before finding her rhythm and clearing the ropes twice. But it was Chinelle Henry who inflicted late damage, hitting de Klerk for three fours and a six to score 24 runs off the 19th over. The final over bowled by Satghare went for 15, propelling DC to 203 for 4. It was the second-highest first-innings total in any Women's T20 tournament final.

RCB faced a record WPL chase. But they were the only team in the tournament's history to have successfully chased a 200-plus total before, and had dominated this season from start to finish, picking up five consecutive wins up front to top the table.

Grace Harris started the chase with a bang, hitting two fours off Marizanne Kapp in the first over. But Henry, carrying on from where she had left with the bat, struck with her very first ball to flatten Harris' middle stump for 9. Voll joined Mandhana at the crease and started to innovate straightaway, shuffling across early to scoop over short fine leg for her first boundary.

The pair ensured RCB kept up with the asking rate, finding the gaps often and targeting all of DC's bowlers. Mandhana looked in imperious form, punishing anything in her arc. When Nandani Sharma bowled a slower one right into the slot, Mandhana got down on one knee to send it over deep square leg for the first six of her innings.

Voll brought up her half-century off 36 balls, with RCB at that point having cleared more than half their target. Mandhana too continued her masterclass, driving Sneh Rana over extra cover for four to bring up her half-century off 23 balls, her fastest in the WPL.

The runs continued to flow: Rana and Shree Charani went for 15 each off the 12th and 14th overs, and Mandhana and Voll seemed to be turning a record chase into a stroll.

DC finally made a breakthrough, Minnu Mani getting Voll to hole out for a 54-ball 79. This left RCB needing 30 off 21 balls, with two key batters in place.

But Nandani struck in the 18th over to remove Richa Ghosh cheaply, and Henry delivered a critical blow in the next over, bowling Mandhana for 87. DC could sense a remarkable comeback, but with 13 needed off 8, Mani failed to hold on to a steepling chance in the covers off new batter Radha.

With RCB needing 10 from the final over, Radha sealed the win with back-to-back boundaries, breaking DC's hearts.