Ee sala kuda cup namdu! (This time too, the cup is ours.) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for the second time after tasting victory in the 2026 edition on Thursday night.
Smriti Mandhana’s RCB defeated the Delhi Capitals by six wickets after chasing down the daunting target of 204 with two balls to spare. Mandhana led from the front, hitting a 41-ball 87, and she was supported very well by Georgia Voll (79) as the duo shared a 165-run stand for the second wicket, setting up the win for the franchise, which won the WPL for the first time two years back in 2024.
For the first time in the history of Indian franchise cricket, one team holds both the men’s and women’s titles. RCB had won the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the first time last year, and they have now won the WPL. Hence, it is no surprise that even Virat Kohli couldn’t hold back his excitement, and he immediately went to Instagram to like RCB’s post announcing the triumph.
Just minutes later, he posted his own message congratulating the entire team, especially the skipper, Smriti Mandhana, who wears the same jersey number as the King.
“Champions again. Keeping the RCB flag flying high and something that each one of you can be Proud of. To smriti @smriti_mandhana and the whole squad and the management team, a big congratulations for this tremendous victory. You guys deserve this undoubtedly. Enjoy the moment and embrace the love of our amazing fans @royalchallengers.bengaluru,” Kohli wrote on Instagram.
The WPL 2026 saw the Delhi Capitals losing the fourth final in a row, and Jemimah Rodrigues, a very close friend of Smriti, was seen trying to fight back tears. However, after the game, one witnessed a heartfelt moment on the pitch, when Jemi shared a long hug with Smriti.
How did the final unfold?
In the WPL 2026 summit clash, RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first. However, Delhi was able to put up a healthy score on the board, posting 203/4 in 20 overs. Skipper Jemimah was the top scorer as she played a knock of 57 while Lizelle Lee(37), Laura Wolvaardt (47) and Chinelle Henry (35) also chipped in with valuable knocks.
RCB’s chase got off to the worst start possible as Grace Harris lost her wicket in just the second over; however, from there on, Mandhana and Voll took control, hitting the Delhi bowlers all around the park.
Voll and Mandhana both lost their wickets against the run of play, and the equation came down to 10 off 6 balls. However, Radha Yadav remained ice cool, hitting boundaries on the third and fourth deliveries of the final over to seal the deal for RCB.