RCB lift WPL title, Kerala's Minnu Mani and DC lose 4th final in a row

Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Thursday clinched their second Women's Premier League title, defeating Delhi Capitals in a thrilling final at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium.

Batting first, Delhi Capitals posted a strong total of 203/ 4, guided by a half-century from skipper Jemimah Rodrigues. In reply, Bengaluru pulled off a dramatic chase, sealing victory in the final over , led by a commanding effort from captain Smriti Mandhana, who made 87 runs.

With the win, Bengaluru extended their dominance over Delhi in WPL finals, having beaten them in every title clash between the two sides. For Delhi Capitals, the loss marked yet another heartbreak in the summit clash. Since the tournament's inception in 2023, Delhi have finished runners-up every season- losing to Mumbai Indians in the inaugural final, followed by defeats to Bengaluru and Mumbai in subsequent editions.

Earlier, Laura Wolvaardt (44 not out off 25 balls) and Lizelle Lee (37 off 30 balls) made quick runs to spearhead DC after they were called in to bat first. Rodrigues slammed 57 off 37 balls while Chinelle Henry blazed away to a 15-ball 35 to help DC score past 200. 

However, RCB overcame the 204-run target in 19.4 overs thanks to captain Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll (79 off 54), who shared a record 165-run stand for the second wicket.  Radha Yadav (12 not out) and Nadine de Klerk (7 not out) ensured that RCB sealed the title. 

The defeat was particularly painful for Kerala all-rounder Minnu Mani, who suffered her fourth straight WPL final loss with Delhi Capitals. Had Delhi won, Minnu would have become the third Malayali cricketer to lift the WPL trophy. Wayanad native Sajana S won the title with the Mumbai Indians, while Thiruvananthapuram leg-spinner Asha Sobhana was part of Bengaluru's title-winning side in 2024.

Minnu made a notable contribution in the final, finishing with figures of one for 19 and dismissing the dangerous Georgia Voll, who was batting fluently. The all-rounder has been part of Delhi's final defeats since 2023. While she did not bowl in the inaugural final, she picked up the key wicket of Smriti Mandhana in the 2024 final, only to end on the losing side again. Delhi also lost the 2025 final to Mumbai Indians.

Before the final, Minnu had picked up five wickets in the WPL season, including a crucial two-for-18 spell against Bengaluru in mid-January, during which she dismissed Mandhana and Richa Ghosh in a match Delhi won by seven wickets.

Brief scores: Delhi Capitals 203/4 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 44, Jemimah Rodrigues 57). RCB 204/4 in 19.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 87, Georgia Voll 79).