Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) finally broke the jinx. It lifted its maiden trophy in the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) by convincingly defeating Delhi Capitals by eight wickets in the final held in New Delhi. Smriti Mandhana-led side showcased exceptional performance, marking a historic moment for their franchise.

Strong start from Shafali Verma

Shafali Verma’s aggressive onslaught on the RCB bowlers, coupled with Meg Lanning’s steady support from the other end, propelled Delhi Capitals to a solid start in the Women’s Premier League summit clash. Shafali’s aggressive batting prowess enabled Delhi Capitals to amass 61 runs in the first six overs, setting a formidable target for RCB.

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Comparison with Rohit Sharma’s ODI World Cup Final Knock

Shafali’s aggressive batting approach in the WPL final drew parallels with the memorable innings played by Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in the ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia. Like Sharma’s impactful knock, Shafali’s single-handley lifted her team’s score in the powerplay like a lone warrior.

After this, people found similarities between Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s knock in the ODI World Cup final against Australia and Shafali’s knock in the WPL final against RCB. Both provided blistering starts to their team, but after that, their team collapsed like a deck of cards, irrespective of being the best team throughout the tournament.

Sophie Molineux’s Impactful Bowling Spell

Sophie Molineux turned the tide in RCB’s favor by claiming three crucial wickets in a single over. The dismissals of Shafali Verma, Jemimah, and Capsey put Delhi Capitals on the backfoot, and despite their efforts, they faltered and were eventually bowled out for 113 runs.

Collapse of Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals’ batting line-up crumbled under pressure after losing key wickets, failing to stabilize their innings and post a competitive total. The impressive display of bowling by RCB’s bowlers, led by Molineux, dismantled Delhi’s batting order and restricted them to a modest score.