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Smriti Mandhana believes Royal Challengers Bengaluru's early qualification for the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 playoffs has been built on collective performances, as RCB became the first team to seal a top-four spot after registering five consecutive victories in five matches.
Reflecting on the campaign so far, Mandhana said, "It has been a great start to our campaign, and we are very pleased with our performances so far. We have tried to stay true to our processes and continue to take it one game at a time, but the morale in the group is high, and the environment has been excellent." Highlighting the importance of contributions across the squad during the unbeaten run, she added, "It has been massively important that everyone has contributed. Beyond the Player of the Match performances, we have seen players step up whenever the situation has demanded it. In every game, we have found a way to win, even in moments when we have been on the back foot, and that ability to close out results, even when it has not always been smooth sailing, is always a great sign for any team," , as per a release. Mandhana also spoke about the culture within the group and its impact on performances across the squad. "There is a strong belief within the group, and the whole squad is gelling well. A lot of credit has to go to the coaching staff and management for creating an environment where everyone brings the same intensity. Even in training sessions, players are willing to go that extra mile, and that is reflected in the range of performances we have seen, whether it is from someone experienced like Nadine (de Klerk) or a youngster like Gautami (Naik)." On the squad's composition and role clarity, the 29-year-old said, "When we came out of the auction, it was clear that we had given ourselves a lot of options. That was the first step, and the way the players have come in and executed their roles has helped us achieve results. There is clarity around roles, and that has made a big difference." Mandhana, who led RCB to their first title in 2024, highlighted the impact of the bowling unit and the depth within the side, saying, "When you have bowlers like Nadine de Klerk [10 wickets], Lauren Bell [9 wickets] and Shreyanka Patil [9 wickets] taking wickets, it naturally puts pressure on the opposition. Beyond them, there have been several other contributions as well. Sayali has stepped up, Arundhati has been economical, and Prema has delivered important spells. That balance and depth across the group is what is giving us confidence going forward." RCB will be in action again when they take on Delhi Capitals on Saturday night. (ANI)
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