Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the WPL 2026 title, chasing 204 with Smriti Mandhana scoring 87
Delhi Capitals reached 203 for four, with Jemimah Rodrigues scoring 57, but lost their fourth straight final
Rodrigues praised her team’s effort, highlighting senior players and youngsters, and thanked the support staff and fans
RCB Vs DC: Jemimah Rodrigues ‘Proud’ Of Delhi Capitals Despite Fourth Consecutive WPL Final Defeat
Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues reflected on the team’s WPL 2026 campaign with pride despite a fourth straight final loss. She praised the players’ character and effort, the youngsters’ performances, and the support staff
Summary
Delhi Capitals’ luck ran out once more, falling agonizingly short in the Women's Premier League 2026 (WPL) final for the fourth consecutive season. Every time they’ve reached the summit clash since the league began, DC have come up just short, and Thursday was no different.
Captain Jemimah Rodrigues led from the front with a fighting 57 off 37 balls, but Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s firepower proved too strong as they chased down a daunting 204 with six wickets in hand to claim their second Women’s Premier League title in Vadodara.
Speaking after the loss, Jemimah Rodrigues praised her team’s effort. "I could not be more proud of this team. It was not easy for us but the character our girls showed, it is something I can be proud of. Not just them, the support staff has also worked tirelessly for us. Every single person, even the fans, all over the world, thank you so much. "
She added, "I think 204, in a final, is a great score. Hats off to the way we played. If ever we wanted our team to click, it was today and we did that. Everyone fought hard and gave their all, and sometimes, that is all that's important. The assessment has been great. Easier if we start a tournament well but to pick yourself up, they (Niki and Rana in an earlier game) showed the depth that is there in Indian cricket. Even Nandani and Minnu.
Delhi Capitals had set a formidable target after being put in to bat. Chinelle Henry blazed a 15-ball 35, while Laura Wolvaardt (44 off 25) and Lizelle Lee (37 off 30) scored briskly, helping DC reach 203 for four, one of the highest totals in a WPL final.
In reply, RCB lost the early wicket of Grace Harris (9), but Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll put on a 165-run second-wicket partnership that turned the game.
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Mandhana’s 87 off 41 balls included a 23-ball fifty, with the captain dispatching anything in her arc with authority. Voll also played a brilliant knock of 79 off 54 deliveries before Minnu Mani finally broke the partnership.
Despite that brief scare, RCB held their nerve and completed the chase with two balls to spare, completing the highest target successfully chased in a WPL final.
Despite their fight and flashes of brilliance, Delhi Capitals remain without a WPL trophy, leaving Rodrigues and her team to grapple with heartbreak for the fourth straight final.
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