Introduction

The epic showdown of the Women's Premier League between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) ends with a popular twist: with 3 balls remaining, RCB beat DC by 8 wickets to clinch the first trophy at the Arun Jaitely Stadium in New Delhi on March 17, 2024.

The title drought for the RCB franchise ended in 17 years, but it was not the men's team; it was the women's team that brought the glory home.

RCB was unable to win a single match against DC from the start of the tournament, and it was expected that Meg Lanning's led DC would be the clear winner of the second WPL as they have taken the direct route to the title clash, but RCB turned the tide against DC in the final and ended the jinx of the trophy.

DC's Fragile Start After Promising Beginning

Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning won the toss and elected to bat. The Delhi Capitals got off to a blazing start, with openers Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma combining for 64 runs on the powerplay. However, the tides shifted against DC suddenly in the eighth over when Sophie Molineux triggered a collapse. The Australian all-rounder took three wickets, including Lanning's prized scalp, to destroy the DC batting order. The Capitals' batting line-up then imploded, being bowled out for 113 runs in 18.3 overs. Spinner Shreyanka Patil also contributed two wickets for RCB, further tightening their grip on the Delhi innings.

RCB's Composed Chase Seals the Deal

While chasing a modest score, RCB openers Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine showcased composure and intent. They together stitched a 47-run crucial partnership before Devine departed. However, the seasoned Ellyse Perry took the major stage, anchoring the pursuit with an unbroken 35-run knock. Wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh provided the finishing touches with a six over deep extra cover, securing a historic victory for RCB.

RCB's Bowling Unit

The RCB bowling unit, led by spinners Sophie Molineux and Shreyanka Patil, deserves enormous credit for arranging the Delhi Capitals' downfall. Their combined performance of seven wickets slowed the flow of DC runs, laying the groundwork for the victory.

Eliminator Story and Winning Celebrations

The tight finish in the Eliminator against Mumbai Indians on Friday night brought out a gamut of emotions from the RCB captain, be it throwing her head back with hands on her face when Richa Ghosh missed a stumping chance of Harmanpreet Kaur, or engulfing her team-mates in a warm hug after their five-run win. Mandhana allowed herself to feel everything, even though she has stated on record that it is a captain's responsibility to be much more serious.

After RCB’s remarkable triumph, Bengaluru witnessed a jubilant outpouring of support from fans, who thronged the streets to celebrate the historic victory. Numerous videos and photos circulated on social media as the city rejoiced late at night. In a special statement following the triumph, RCB captain Smriti extended her gratitude to the team's dedicated fans.

“I have a message for all the RCB fans, the most loyal fan base. Nothing would have been possible without their support. Ee Sala Cup Namde (The Cup will be ours this time) always comes up, and now I just want to say Ee Sala Cup Namdu (The Cup is ours this time),” she said in the post-match presentation.

Award Winners and Prize Money

• Emerging Player of the Season: Shreyanka Patil (INR 5 lakh)
• Electric Striker of the Season: Georgia Wareham (INR 5 lakh)
• Most Valuable Player of the Season: Deepti Sharma (INR 5 lakh) – 295 runs, 10 wickets
• Player of the Match (final): Sophie Molineux (INR 2.5 lakh)
• Electric Striker of the Match (final): Shafali Verma (INR 1 lakh)
• Catch of the season: S. Sajana (INR 5 lakh)
• Most Sixes of the Season: Shafali Verma (INR 5 lakh)
• Purple Cap (Most wickets): Shreyanka Patil (INR 5 lakh)
• Orange Cap (Most runs): Ellyse Perry (INR 5 lakh)
• Winners: Royal Challengers Bangalore (INR 6 crore)
• Runners-up: Delhi Capitals (INR 3 crore)
• Fairplay Award: Royal Challengers Bangalore

Celebration at RCB Unbox Event

The RCB Unbox Event began with much pomp and hype at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, but a gesture from the RCB men's team to their female counterparts stole the show.

With Virat Kohli there, RCB players created a guard of honor to welcome the RCB's WPL title-winning squad, captained by Smriti Mandhana, on the pitch. The image of the captain and the rest of her squad stepping out amid all the applauding, hooting, and clapping is enough to give you goosebumps.

Each time when Mandhana had to speak during the toss, she would have to pause and wait for the crowd to calm down. Such is the madness towards RCB, and it was only fitting that some of them were back here to give their heroes a rousing reception. But this time she need not pause or wait for the crowd to calm down as the ground echoed RCB. The madness shown by the RCB fans was exuberant throughout the tournament.

Conclusion

The Women's Premier League final was more than simply an exciting contest; it demonstrated India's emerging dominance in women's cricket. RCB's clinical performance and the Delhi Capitals' missed opportunity make for a compelling narrative in the history of the WPL. This final of the second season of the WPL has set the stage for an even more exciting, entertaining, and competitive WPL season in the coming years.

This victory is extremely significant for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Throughout their history, they've been known for falling short in the finals of major tournaments, but the WPL 2024 victory ultimately breaks their trophy curse and heralds a new era for the squad. The enthusiastic celebration of players and coaching staff highlighted the importance of this victory.

The 17th edition of the Indian Premier League has also begun, and the RCB's squad is being considered a tough competition. Although RCB has made it to the IPL finals three times but hasn't won a single title yet, However, this time, the RCB men's team is determined to win the title and bring double joy to their fans by proclaiming, "Ee Sala Cup Namdu (The Cup is ours this time).

References:

• https://www.wplt20.com/
  

• https://www.espncricinfo.com/

• https://www.sportsadda.com/
• https://www.firstpost.com/

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