Delhi Capitals’ twisted, nightmarish curse refused to leave them even on a night they posted their highest total in a Women’s Premier League (WPL) match, and the second-highest by any team in a playoff. Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll’s imperious 165-run stand for the second wicket in Vadodara on Thursday helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru chase down 204 with two balls to spare as they reclaimed the WPL title for the second time in their history. For Delhi, it was heartbreak yet again.
For the fourth consecutive time, Delhi Capitals suffered defeat in a WPL final. The anguish was evident as captain Jemimah Rodrigues fought back tears and headed straight into the dressing room after the match ended in RCB’s favour. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, long associated with the Delhi franchise, was left stunned into silence as he watched another final slip away.
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What made the loss even more painful for Jemimah was her own performance on the night. The skipper rose to the occasion with a scintillating half-century and, alongside the experienced Laura Wolvaardt, found gaps at will to keep RCB under pressure in a 76-run partnership. Chinelle Henry then provided the late flourish, blasting a 15-ball 35 to propel Delhi Capitals to an imposing 203 for four.
In reply, RCB completed a record chase to join Mumbai Indians as the most successful teams in WPL history.
Delhi did strike early, removing opener Grace Harris to briefly put RCB on the back foot. But Mandhana and Voll rebuilt with authority, driving anything pitched up with ease and pulling and cutting the short balls with control as RCB reached 100 at the halfway mark, still needing 104 from 60 deliveries. The pair continued their dominance until Voll fell to Minnu Mani, offering Delhi a final flicker of hope. RCB, however, held their nerve in the final over to clinch the title.
It marked the fourth time Delhi Capitals have lost a WPL final — by seven wickets to Mumbai Indians in 2023, by eight wickets to RCB in 2024, and by eight runs to Mumbai Indians in 2025 — becoming only the second team in women’s franchise cricket history, after Brisbane Heat, to suffer such a fate.