The streets of Bengaluru reverberated with joyous celebrations as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) clinched their maiden title in the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on March 17. With a commanding bowling performance, RCB sealed the victory by eight wickets with just three balls to spare.
This triumph marked a sensational turnaround for Smriti Mandhana’s squad, who endured a lacklustre season in the tournament’s inaugural edition, finishing fourth in the points table with only two wins. However, they embarked on a remarkable journey this year, displaying resilience and determination to overcome various challenges and ultimately claim the coveted title.
Every player rose to the occasion when it mattered most, contributing significantly to RCB’s success. The victory sparked jubilation among fans in Bengaluru, who took to the streets to celebrate the long-awaited glory. Social media platforms buzzed with countless videos capturing the ecstatic scenes as supporters revelled in the team’s historic achievement.
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For Bengaluru, this triumph held special significance, as the city has eagerly awaited success in cricket since the inception of the Indian Premier League, where the men’s team has come close but fallen short of clinching the title on multiple occasions.
This is just a SAMPLE not even 1%, Banglore promises @imVkohli @RCBTweets 🤞 pic.twitter.com/R2vMuS21ud
— 82* (@WhiteDevil18_) March 17, 2024
STORM ALERT IN BANGLORE 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/Kf9ab0NbwV
— 82* (@WhiteDevil18_) March 17, 2024
Endless Celebrations Across Banglore! pic.twitter.com/fnKbTn3I0o
— 82* (@WhiteDevil18_) March 17, 2024
In the match, Delhi Capitals, led by Meg Lanning, won the toss and chose to bat first. However, their decision quickly backfired as they suffered a collapse right from the start of their innings. Sophie Molineux led RCB’s bowling charge, striking early to dismiss key batters like Jemimah Rodrigues and Alice Capsey.
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Shafali Verma’s aggressive innings of 44 runs aside, DC struggled to build partnerships and were bowled out for a below-par total of 113 runs in 18.3 overs. In response, RCB’s opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine provided a solid start, laying a strong foundation with a 49-run partnership.
Later, Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh took charge, guiding Bangalore to victory with Perry’s unbeaten 35-run knock and Ghosh’s crucial 17 not out. With this win, RCB secured their place in WPL history, etching their name as champions of the prestigious tournament.
