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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Smriti Mandhana led the Red and Gold franchise to the second Women's Premier League (WPL) title, securing the Orange Cap for most runs this season, completing 1,000 runs in the tournament and shattering plenty of records.
A dominant RCB made history, securing their 2nd WPL title with a six-wicket win while pulling off the highest run-chase in a women's T20 tournament final. Smriti came in clutch during the title clash, cracking a scintillating 41-ball 87 with 12 fours and three sixes at a strike rate of over 212. She also struck a 165-run partnership with Aussie star Georgia Voll, which is the highest in WPL history for any wicket. She finished the season as the top run-getter, scoring 377 runs in nine matches at an average of 53.85 and a strike rate of over 153, with three fifties. This is the second-best WPL season by a batter, next to Mumbai Indians (MI) star Nat Sciver Brunt's monstrous 2025 season with 523 runs at an average of 65.38 and a strike rate of over 152 with five fifties. She also joined the stalwarts Nat-Sciver, UP Warriorz skipper Meg Lanning, MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur and DC's opener Shafali Verma as the fifth player to complete 1,000 WPL runs. She has made 1,023 runs in 35 matches at an average of 31.00 and a strike rate of 136.76 and seven fifties, with best score of 96. Mandhana's 23-ball fifty is the fastest half-century in a WPL final. She is also the batter involved in most century stands in WPL history, with six such partnerships, outclassing Nat Sciver Brunt. Coming to the match, RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first. Lizelle Lee (37 in 30 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and Shafali Verma (20 in 13 balls, with three fours) put their team to a flying start. A 76-run stand for the third wicket between Jemimah Rodrigues, who played a captain's knock of 57 in 37 balls, with eight fours and Laura Wolvaardt (44 in 35 balls, with three fours and two sixes) brought them back to the game. Just when RCB threatened to pull things back, Chinelle Henry (35* in 15 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) played a fiery cameo to power DC to 203/4 in 20 overs, the highest in a WPL final. In the chase, RCB lost Grace Harris (8) early, but a 165-run stand between Smriti (87 in 41 balls, with 12 fours and three sixes) and Georgia Voll (79 in 54 balls, with 14 fours) pierced DC's chances with every hit. DC threatened to pull things back with three quick wickets in final few overs, but Radha Yadav (12*) and Nadine de Klerk (7*) chased the total with six wickets and two balls in hand. Mandhana was adjudged the 'Player of the Match' award. (ANI)
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