WPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Delhi Capitals by 8 wickets

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are proving pre-tournament predictions wrong. Despite missing some of their key stars due to injury concerns, the Smriti Mandhana-led side have made a strong start to their title defence, showing the world they are more than capable of winning the Women's Premier League again.

Days after successfully chasing 202 against Gujarat Giants in the season opener in Vadodara, RCB delivered a clinical all-round performance against Delhi Capitals in their Women's Premier League match at the Kotambi Stadium on February 17. Led by Smriti Mandhana's fluent 47-ball 81, RCB chased down a below-par total of 142 to climb to the top of the WPL points table early in the season.

Smriti Mandhana looked in complete control of the chase, striking 10 boundaries and three sixes, making up for missing out on the season opener against the Giants. She was at her destructive best, dismantling the Delhi Capitals bowlers, who had no answers to the onslaught from RCB's first-ever



title-winning captain.

Mandhana was dismissed for 81 in the 16th over when she attempted a cheeky scoop shot to find another boundary off Shikha Pandey. While Delhi managed to halt the carnage, it was too late, as RCB required just 8 more runs when their captain walked back to the pavilion.

Superstar Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh ensured RCB got past the finish line with eight wickets and 22 balls to spare. Richa, who smashed a 27-ball 64 in their chase against Gujarat, finished the chase against Delhi in style, hitting a huge six in the second ball of the 17th over.

RCB made their intentions clear in the powerplay, racing to 57 runs. Smriti received solid support from Danielle Wyatt, who struck 42 off 33 balls. The two openers stitched together their first hundred-run partnership of the WPL, adding 107 runs in just 65 balls. It was a modern-day T20 masterclass, with both batters relentlessly attacking the Delhi bowlers, giving Meg Lanning's side no respite.