Smriti Mandhana reveals how RCB took the Virat Kohli way en route to title no.2 in WPL

Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased down a record total in the Women’s Premier League final. Chasing 204 in the summit clash against Delhi Capitals, RCB finished the job with two balls and six wickets to spare. Top-order batters Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll dominated the proceedings with a 165-run partnership, handing Delhi yet another heartbreak in the 2026 season. Speaking after the game, the RCB skipper revealed what went behind winning their second title in the competition.

Mandhana credited the team for working incredibly hard behind the scenes. The RCB side followed what she stoppedd short of calling the 'Virat Kohli route', placing a major emphasis on fitness and spending long hours in the gym to ensure they were one of the fittest teams in the tournament. That preparation eventually made the difference, as RCB eventually marched into the final after taking an early lead at the start of the season.

WPL 2026 Final, RCB vs DC: Highlights | Scorecard

Smriti Mandhana also spoke about the belief within the squad, particularly their confidence in chasing high totals throughout the season. While the side failed in their only high-scoring chase against Mumbai Indians earlier in the tournament, Mandhana said the team backed themselves to get the job done on a belter of a pitch in Vadodara.

“I feel the girls are working extremely hard and that’s one thing which really shoots up your belief. When you work hard in the gym and put in the hard yards, you have that belief that any score can be chased down, that anything is possible. The whole group is made up of very hardworking girls who have put in the effort. So when that happens, even with 200 on the board, we all felt really confident that we could chase it down. Having said that, what Volly did was really special,” Mandhana said.

WPL: Mandhana Credits Role Clarity

The RCB captain also credited the backroom staff for their role right from the start of the season. Mandhana revealed that the support staff adopted an analytical approach and ensured that roles were clearly defined for every player even before the tournament began.

“One thing that has stood out for me is the way the support staff has been around the girls. The role clarity was given very early. Right after the auction, everyone got phone calls explaining what was expected — this is the batting order, these are the phases you’ll bowl in. That really helps. Credit to Malo, Anya, RX sir and the entire staff. When roles are clear, it becomes much easier for us as players, and for me as a captain, to come in and lead the way,” Mandhana said.

The 2026 title is RCB’s second in the competition. With this win, RCB became the first-ever franchise to hold both the IPL and WPL titles at the same time.