Royal Challengers Bangalore Women’s team has transformed the Women’s Premier League (WPL) narrative with a historic final triumph that not only delivered their maiden title but also cemented their status as a new powerhouse in women’s T20 cricket. This article dives deep into the WPL Final, how RCB Women emerged the winner, what it means for the franchise, and why this win matters for the future of women’s cricket in India and beyond.
Rise of the WPL and the RCB Women story
The Women’s Premier League was launched to give women cricketers a grand stage similar to the IPL, combining high-quality competition, star power, and massive fan engagement. In just a few seasons, it has turned into one of the most watched women’s cricket tournaments globally, drawing packed stadiums and millions of digital viewers.
For Royal Challengers Bangalore Women, the journey was emotional right from the start because the men’s team had spent years chasing an elusive trophy in the IPL. Fans carried that history into the women’s side, making the WPL Final win feel like a long-awaited redemption story for the entire RCB fanbase.
Road to the WPL Final
RCB Women’s road to the WPL Final was built on a clear strategy: strong top-order batting, attacking spin, and fearless intent in big moments. Throughout the season, they showed a better balance between youth and experience, with established internationals guiding rising Indian talents.
Key league-stage wins against top contenders gave them momentum going into the playoffs, and crucially, they learned to finish close games—a weakness in earlier campaigns. By the time they walked into the WPL Final, RCB Women looked calmer, more settled, and far more confident in chasing or defending totals under pressure.
WPL Final: how RCB Women became winner
In the WPL Final, RCB Women faced a powerful Delhi Capitals side stacked with batting depth and big-match players. Delhi started strongly, but RCB’s bowlers, especially their spinners, pulled the game back by striking regularly and dragging the scoring rate down on a surface that rewarded discipline.
Sophie Molineux and Shreyanka Patil played pivotal roles with the ball, breaking the opening stand and then running through the middle order to restrict Delhi Capitals to a modest total of 113 in the 2024 final at Arun Jaitley Stadium. That spell of sustained pressure set the tone and gave RCB a chaseable target in a high-stakes match where even 140 could have been tricky.
Chasing in a final can often be nerve‑racking, but RCB’s batters approached it with maturity and clarity of plans. The top order built a steady platform, rotating strike and refusing to gift wickets despite Delhi’s attempts to create pressure with tight lines and clever field placements. Once the base was set, Ellyse Perry took control, remaining unbeaten on 35 off 37 balls, while Richa Ghosh added a brisk 17 off 14 deliveries to finish the job with eight wickets in hand and three balls to spare.
In later seasons, RCB Women proved their success was no fluke by lifting another WPL title with a record chase of 204 in the 2026 final, again against Delhi Capitals. Smriti Mandhana’s 87 and Georgia Voll’s support in a 165-run stand showcased a fearless, attacking template in big games, as RCB reached 204 for 4 in 19.4 overs to secure their second trophy.
Key heroes of the RCB Women winner campaign
Several names stand out when talking about RCB Women as WPL Final champions and multi‑time winners.
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Smriti Mandhana: As captain, she shaped the team culture, led from the front with the bat, and finished as the leading run‑scorer in the 2026 season with 377 runs in nine matches, winning the Orange Cap. Her aggressive yet controlled batting at the top set the tone in crucial games, including the WPL Final.
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Ellyse Perry: A seasoned Australian all‑rounder, Perry brought vast experience, stability under pressure, and match‑winning performances with both bat and ball, including her calm, unbeaten 35 in the 2024 title clash.
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Richa Ghosh: As a finisher and wicketkeeper, she added power and composure in run‑chases, striking vital boundaries at the back end of the WPL Final chase.
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Sophie Molineux and Shreyanka Patil: This spin duo turned many matches on their head, particularly the 2024 final where their combined effort dismantled a threatening Delhi Capitals batting lineup.
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Supporting cast: Players like Radha Yadav also stepped up in big finals, with Radha sealing the 2026 title by hitting back‑to‑back boundaries when 10 were needed off the last over.
These performances shaped the identity of RCB Women as a champion side capable of handling pressure, adjusting plans mid‑game, and closing out tight contests.
Why this WPL Final win matters
The significance of RCB Women winning the WPL Final goes beyond one match or one season.
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Breaking the trophy jinx: RCB as a franchise had lived under the narrative of “great team, no titles.” The women’s side smashing that pattern with a commanding WPL Final win changed the energy around the badge for fans and players alike.
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Boost to women’s cricket: A high‑profile franchise like RCB lifting the trophy helped draw more eyeballs to the women’s game, especially because the final was played in front of large crowds and enjoyed strong broadcast reach.
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New role models: Performances from Mandhana, Perry, Ghosh, and others give young girls in India clear cricketing role models, not just in international cricket but in a glamorous, competitive league setup like the WPL.
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Tactical evolution: RCB’s approach—attacking spin, smart use of match‑ups, and fearless chasing in finals—sets a tactical template other teams now study and try to counter.
As RCB Women stacked up titles, including the 2026 final win chasing 203, they turned from underdogs to one of the benchmark teams in the tournament.
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High‑authority view and future of RCB Women
Cricket experts have consistently highlighted how leagues like the WPL are reshaping the women’s game, and RCB Women’s finals are often central to that discussion. Established cricket platforms such as ESPNcricinfo provide detailed scorecards, analysis, and commentary on these matches,
reinforcing just how significant RCB’s WPL Final wins are in the broader landscape of T20 cricket.
Looking ahead, RCB Women will carry the pressure of expectations but also the confidence of proven champions. With a strong core, clear leadership,
and the experience of winning multiple WPL Finals,
they are well place to keep contending for titles and stay at the heart of conversations every time fans talk about the WPL Final and the RCB Women winner story.
