In an exciting encounter at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) clinched a dominant 8-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) in the fourth match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025. The chase was clinical, with Smriti Mandhana leading the way with a blistering 81 runs off 47 balls, propelling RCB to a comfortable win with 22 balls to spare. The result marks RCB’s second win in the tournament, enhancing their position as a formidable side. Delhi, despite a few individual sparks, fell short in both batting and bowling, leaving them with a lot to reflect upon after the heavy defeat.
Delhi Capitals’ innings falter under pressure
Delhi’s batting innings was a tale of missed opportunities and unfulfilled promises. From the very beginning, they were on the back foot, with Shafali Verma’s unfortunate dismissal for a duck setting the tone. Meg Lanning, the captain, was dismissed cheaply for just 17 runs, and despite some resistance from Jemimah Rodrigues (34 runs) and Sarah Bryce (23 runs), the middle order crumbled under pressure. The performance was further hampered by the lack of partnerships, as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. RCB’s bowlers, particularly Renuka Singh, were on top of their game, executing their plans flawlessly. Renuka’s 3-wicket haul for 23 runs, along with Georgia Wareham’s excellent spell, dismantled Delhi’s batting line-up. With 141 runs on the board, Delhi found themselves in a challenging position, having posted a below-par total that would need a herculean effort to defend.
Also READ: WPL 2025: Here’s why Delhi Capitals fielded 5 overseas players against Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Smriti Mandhana’s masterclass powers RCB to a comfortable victory
Mandhana’s outstanding 81-run knock turned the match firmly in RCB’s favor, as the opening batter led her team to victory in clinical fashion. Mandhana’s performance was an exhibition of elegant stroke play, as she found gaps with ease, smashing 10 boundaries and 3 sixes, with a strike rate of over 170. Her ability to accelerate and stay composed under pressure was evident from the way she paced her innings. Alongside her, Danni Wyatt-Hodge played a supporting role with a valuable knock of 42 runs off 33 balls, adding stability to the chase. Their 107-run opening partnership put RCB in a commanding position, leaving little room for the Delhi bowlers to fight back. After Wyatt and Mandhana’s dismissal, Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh brought the match to a close with ease, sealing the victory with 22 balls to spare. This all-around performance by RCB, spearheaded by Mandhana, proved they are a force to be reckoned with in the Women’s Premier League.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Top class from Mandhana 👌 Has 50+ scores in four of her last 5 T20s now. And all of them at 150+ SR.#WPL2025
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) February 17, 2025
Gorgeous innings from Smriti. Needed to set her up for the season. Class 50.
— arfan (@Im__Arfan) February 17, 2025
Now that’s a milestone to be super proud of. 👏
Smriti Mandhana racks up 500 runs in WPL, a feat that is a burning ode to her brilliance. 🔥 ⚡️#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #SheIsBold #WPL2025 #DCvRCB pic.twitter.com/ZgdC4TWfeH
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 17, 2025
Queen, Smriti Mandhana’s elegance. ✨️ #DCvRCB #WPL2025 pic.twitter.com/pHxb8duZOJ
— Prathamesh Avachare (@onlyprathamesh) February 17, 2025
More than 20,000 people are watching a women’s T20 game on a Monday in Vadodara. And remember, all these spectators have paid to watch these women play.
RCB effect for sure, but it’s a big win for Indian women’s cricket.
So happy to see this. #WPL2025 #RCBvDC
— Gaurav Nandan | गौरव नंदन (@Cric_Beyond_Ent) February 17, 2025
The capitals’ batters needed to invest their time better at the crease. They have to do better in the second half of the game. #WPLT20 #RCBvDC#WPLonJioStar
— WV Raman (@wvraman) February 17, 2025
In form Smriti Mandhana is a delight to watch.@teamball2hall
— Manish Agrawal (@theindia_united) February 17, 2025
Smriti ✌️😎✌️
— Danish Sait (@DanishSait) February 17, 2025
The queen of RCB is back pic.twitter.com/Hz1AhZwhXN
— Pari (@BluntIndianGal) February 17, 2025
2 wins in 2 matches for RCB 🙌🏏#women #cricket #DCvRCB #WPL2025 #RCB #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/zdmX3eXf3L
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) February 17, 2025
Also READ: WV Raman suggests Australian legend as India’s mentor for Women’s ODI World Cup 2025
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
