Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) continued their perfect run in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) by beating Delhi Capitals by 8 wickets in Navi Mumbai.
The star of the night was Smriti Mandhana, who played a classy knock of 96 runs, missing her century by just 4 runs. Earlier, Lauren Bell led a brilliant bowling attack to restrict Delhi to 166.
With this win, RCB finished the Navi Mumbai leg with 4 wins in 4 matches.
Delhi Capitals Batting: Early Collapse, Late Fight
Delhi Capitals had a very poor start after being asked to bat.
- They lost 4 wickets for just 10 runs, the lowest score at the fall of the fourth wicket in WPL history.
- Lauren Bell bowled beautifully, removing key batters early.
- Jemimah Rodrigues and Marizanne Kapp were dismissed cheaply.
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Shafali Verma’s Counter-Attack
Shafali Verma fought back in her usual aggressive style:
- Scored 62 runs
- Hit powerful sixes and brought Delhi back into the game
- Became the first player in WPL history to hit 50 sixes
Later, debutant Lucy Hamilton added quick runs at the end to push Delhi past 160.
Delhi Capitals Batting Scorecard (Key Performers)
| Player | Runs |
|---|---|
| Shafali Verma | 62 |
| Lucy Hamilton | 36 |
| Others | Failed to contribute much |
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RCB Bowling: Bell Leads the Charge
Top Bowlers for RCB
| Bowler | Figures |
|---|---|
| Lauren Bell | 3/26 |
| Prema Rawat | 2/16 |
| Sayali Satghare | Key early wickets |
Bell’s swing bowling destroyed Delhi’s top order, setting the tone for the match.
RCB Chase: Mandhana’s Masterclass
Chasing 166, RCB never looked under pressure.
- Early wicket fell, but Mandhana stayed calm
- She played elegant shots all around the ground
- Reached her half-century in just 31 balls
Mandhana & Voll Partnership
Mandhana and Georgia Voll shared a massive 142-run partnership, which almost finished the match.
Mandhana was finally out for 96, thanks to a stunning fielding effort by Lucy Hamilton, denying what would have been the first century in WPL history.
RCB won the match easily with 10 balls remaining.
RCB Batting Scorecard (Key Performers)
| Player | Runs |
|---|---|
| Smriti Mandhana | 96 |
| Georgia Voll | 54* |
Final Result
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| Delhi Capitals | 166/10 (20 overs) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 169/2 (18.2 overs) |
RCB won by 8 wickets
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Smriti Mandhana returned to top form with a stunning 96 that anchored a comfortable chase, while Lauren Bell once again stood out as one of the best bowlers of the season with her early breakthroughs, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru register their fourth win in as many matches and look like strong title contenders, as Delhi Capitals ultimately paid the price for a weak start with the bat that left them too much to recover from despite a late fightback.
