Royal Challengers Bengaluru Clinch Second Women's Premier League Title in Record Run Chase

Vadodara. Royal Challengers Bengaluru has won the Women's Premier League (WPL) title for the second time. Bengaluru lifted the trophy by defeating Delhi Capitals by 6 wickets in the final match held on Thursday at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.

While Bengaluru became champions for the first time in 2024, this is their second success, whereas Delhi faced defeat in the final for the fourth consecutive time.

Bengaluru successfully chased the massive target of 204 runs set by Delhi, losing 4 wickets with 2 balls remaining. This is the biggest run chase in WPL final history.

Captain Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Ware were instrumental in Bengaluru's victory. Mandhana played an explosive innings of 87 runs, while Ware scored 79 runs. They shared a decisive partnership of 165 runs in 92 balls.

Bengaluru needed 10 runs in the final over for the win. Radha Yadav and Nadine de Klerk took two singles off the first two balls. Radha hit a boundary off the third ball. An unusual scene occurred on the fourth ball; Radha's bat hit the stumps, and the ball went outside the boundary, but since the bails did not fall, she was not out, and Bengaluru secured the historic victory.

Delhi's Massive Total Goes in Vain

Earlier, having won the toss and elected to bat first, Delhi Capitals posted the highest score ever in a WPL final. Captain Jemimah Rodrigues played a half-century innings of 57 runs off 37 balls, including 8 fours.

Lara Wolvaardt scored 44, Shemaine Henry remained unbeaten on 35, Lizelle Lee scored 37, and Shafali Verma contributed 20 runs. However, the bowlers could not defend this huge total.

The champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru received a prize of 6 crore INR, while the runner-up Delhi Capitals settled for 3 crore INR. Sophie Devine, who performed excellently throughout the tournament, was declared 'Player of the Tournament'. She received a prize of 5 lakh INR.