NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru, led by an imperious Smriti Mandhana, showcased sheer dominance to lift their second Women’s Premier League trophy, defeating Delhi Capitals by six wickets in Vadodara on Thursday. Despite playing in their fourth final, Delhi were unable to capitalize on the occasion.

Mandhana starred with a breathtaking 87 off 41 balls, while Georgia Voll complemented her perfectly with 79 from 54 deliveries. Their 165-run partnership for the second wicket set the foundation for RCB’s memorable chase.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals posted a challenging 203 for four, powered by skipper Jemimah Rodrigues’ scintillating 57 off 37 balls and a blazing 35 off 15 by Chinelle Henry. Laura Wolvaardt (44* off 25) and Lizelle Lee (37 off 30) added crucial quick runs after DC were sent in.

RCB's record-breaking chase was completed with just two balls to spare, cementing their place alongside Mumbai Indians as the most successful teams in WPL history.

In the stiff chase, RCB lost the big wicket of Grace Harris (9) early but skipper Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll kept them in the contest by scoring quickly and keeping pace with the required run rate.

Both Mandhana and Georgia drove anything that was pitched up with ease, pulled and cut the short balls with authority as RCB reached 100 exactly at the halfway mark. requiring 104 runs in 60 balls. Meanwhile Mandhana, having just hit two sixes, raced to her fifty in 23 balls with a sublime boundary against Sneh Rana.

Voll was also at her best at the other end, dispatching everything that was in her arc with utter disdain. The equation came down to 54 of 36 balls after Mandhana smashed Shree Charani for two boundaries to take RCB to 150 in 14 overs.

The two continued to dominate until Voll gave her wicket away to Minnu Mani, raising DC hopes. However, RCB held their nerves to emerge winners.

Earlier, the Royal Challengers were on the money in the first three overs with Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare conceding just nine runs as Shafali Verma and Lee did not get enough width to free their arms.

However, the fourth over bowled by Satghare saw the Capitals release the pressure with Lee clobbering the medium pacer’s half-volley and half-tracker for two successive sixes — one over long-off and another over mid-wicket.

There was then an appeal for a stumping thanks to Richa Ghosh’s enterprise and it was followed by Satghare failing to latch on to a difficult caught and bowled chance, ending an eventful over that yielded the Capitals 20 runs and gave them the much-needed momentum after the sluggish start.

With DC reaching 36 after five overs, skipper Smriti Mandhana introduced Arundhati Reddy into the attack and Shafali straightaway collected two fours. However, Reddy hit back with the wicket of Shafali with a short ball, which was smartly taken by Ghosh behind the stumps.

The classy Laura Wolvaardt began with an exquisite boundary before Lee welcomed off-spinner Shreyanka Patil into the attack with two fours and a six on the trot, lifting DC to 72 for one in seven overs.

It took compatriot Nadine de Klerk to end the dangerous Lee’s stay in the middle, as the opener skied one for Grace Harris to run in from long-on to complete a clean catch.

Rodrigues joined Wolvaardt, and the duo found the gaps at will with their stylish batting to keep RCB under pressure with a partnership of 76 runs.

In the end though, RCB had the last laugh, once again, in a rematch of the 2024 final.

(With PTI Inputs)