WPL 2026: RCB Win Second Title With Record Run Chase, Smriti Mandhana's 87 Off 41 the Decisive Innings

Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the Women's Premier League Season 4 title on 5 February 2026, completing the highest successful run chase in WPL history to beat Delhi Capitals by 6 wickets at Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara. Chasing 204, RCB were set on their way by a 165-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana (87 off 41 balls) and Georgia Voll (79 off 54) — a partnership that left the required rate within easy reach. With 2 balls to spare, RCB crossed the target to claim their second WPL title, having won Season 2 in 2024.

The Record Chase: 204 in 20 Overs

Delhi Capitals posted 203/4 in their 20 overs in the WPL 2026 final — a total that would have been beyond most women's T20 teams in previous years. Women's T20 scoring rates have accelerated significantly since the WPL was launched in 2023: fielding restrictions and the quality of batting in the competition have pushed teams toward 200-plus totals in finals. RCB's ability to chase 204 with 2 balls remaining — a run rate of over 10 per over — represents one of the most aggressive batting performances in women's T20 cricket history at the time of the final.

Smriti Mandhana: Player of the Match With 87 off 41

Smriti Mandhana's 87 off 41 balls (strike rate 212) in the WPL 2026 final was one of the most destructive innings by a left-handed batter in women's T20 cricket. Mandhana — the India opening batter widely regarded as the best women's T20 batter of her generation — combined clean driving on the off side with aggressive pull shots to dismantle Delhi Capitals' bowling in the powerplay and early middle overs. She was also WPL 2026's Orange Cap winner (top run-scorer) with 377 runs from 9 matches across the competition — a double of individual and team honours that confirmed her as the defining performer of the season.

Georgia Voll: 79 Off 54 and the 165-Run Partnership

Georgia Voll — Australia's 21-year-old right-handed batter — contributed 79 off 54 balls in a 165-run partnership with Mandhana that effectively ended the WPL 2026 final as a contest. Voll's innings combined aggressive pulling in the middle overs with smart boundary usage to keep the required rate manageable even as wickets fell around her. The Mandhana-Voll partnership is the largest in any WPL final and one of the most significant in the competition's short history.

Delhi Capitals: Four WPL Finals, Still No Title

Delhi Capitals' 2026 final defeat extended their record as the WPL's most consistent losing finalist — they have now appeared in all four WPL finals (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) without winning a title. While this represents consistent campaign-level success — reaching the final every season shows squad quality and consistency — Delhi Capitals have developed the WPL equivalent of RCB's IPL reputation before 2025: a team that always gets close but cannot convert in the biggest moment.

WPL 2026 Season in Context

WPL 2026 confirmed the competition's growing global status. The four-season history through 2026 has produced two franchises who have won titles (Mumbai Indians: 2023 and 2025; Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 2024 and 2026) and a third (UP Warriorz or Gujarat Giants) who have reached semi-finals but not yet won. The WPL's model — combining top Indian domestic talent with the world's best international women's players — continues to raise the standard of women's T20 cricket globally. The competition's scoring rates (teams regularly posting 180-200) have pushed the ceiling of what is considered a competitive total in women's T20s.