The WPL 2026 final was a showcase of women’s cricket that fulfilled the desires of the enthusiasts of the game, a historic chase, an engaging partnership and a team of winners who simply wouldn’t give up. This showdown at the climax of the fourth Women’s Premier League season was played on February 5 2026 at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium, Vadodara, and it pits Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets for their second triumph in the WPL. A night of rewriting history and waking up millions to the reasons why women’s cricket in India has never been more thrilling.
How the Two Finalists Qualified?
First, a look at how the two finalists qualified: As far as qualifications to the WPL 2026 final are concerned, it was far from a level playing field. Royal Challengers Bengaluru pretty much owned the league stage finishing the points table as the leaders winning six out of the eight matches and totaling 12 points.
Due to their steady performance during the group phase, they were rewarded with a direct spot in the final and also got some time for rest and preparation. But, Delhi Capitals had to struggle for their place. DC, having ended the group stage third with eight points, stepped into the Eliminator. They were brilliant in their seven wicket victory over Gujarat Giants, thereby securing the place at the summit encounter.
Under the captaincy of Jemimah Rodrigues, the team from Delhi had a potent weapon in their batting as they headed to the final.
Delhi Capitals Set a Record Target
Winning the toss would have meant a lot, but Luckily Smriti Mandahana got it and decided to bowl. Rodrigues even confessed she too wanted to bowl indicating that the two captains were thinking of dew. But, Delhi’s hitting line neither thought of the factors nor lost the opportunity of the first innings.
Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma gave DC a flying start, achieving a score of 49 by the end of the powerplay. Verma got out relatively quickly for her hitting 20 off 13 balls but Lee was the one who kept things going with 37 from 30. The middle order was also in the run and took things forward. Laura Wolvaardt was excellent, scoring 44 with 25 balls and Jemimah Rodrigues kept the money rolling in^(anchor the innings = stay at the crease for a long time) beautifully, top scoring with 57 from 37 balls. Chinelle Henry struck at the end with an unbeaten 35 off 15 balls with the help of 6 boundaries.
Delhi Capitals scored 203 runs for 4 wickets in 20 overs which is the highest score ever made at Vadodara in a WPL game. The batting performance was so top notch that it put RCB’s hitters under serious pressure.
The Chase
RCB set an imposing target of 204 to win a WPL 2026 final and it was going to be a tall order even for the best of teams. They were tested very early as Grace Harris got out when the score was only nine leaving captain Smriti Mandhana and Australian batter Georgia Voll to try and save the innings. What they did was a phenomenal partnership and the record of the Women’s Premier League hasn’t seen anything quite like it. Mandhana, who was said to be seriously ill with flu before the final, did not look like an unwell person at all while she was batting. She played the ball with the elegance and power which have made her one of the best opening batters of the world.
Voll kept up with her partner’s scoring and without any response, hit the ball with the freedom and determination. The two batters together scored 165 runs off just 92 balls which is the highest partnership in WPL history and what looked as a difficult chase was actually turned into a demonstration of controlled aggression. Mandhana’s knock of 87 runs off 41 balls was a product of the finest timing. She hit every bowler and regularly found the gaps. Also, she made sure that RCB hit at least one boundary each over in their chase. Voll, who hit 79 runs off 54 balls, also used her footwork and placement very well to keep the scoreboard moving during the match.
When Voll was caught while attempting a lofted drive off Minnu Mani, the partnership dissolved. Then in a short span, three wickets fell and the game was suddenly turned into a challenge from DC. When Henry dismissed Mandhana in the very next to last over, and 10 runs were still required from 6 balls, the entire stadium seemed to have held its breath. Radha Yadav But remained calm and composed. She managed to hit two runs also she made two boundaries in two consecutive balls of the last over, this way she gave RCB a victory with two balls left. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have accomplished the highest successful attempt at chasing a total in WPL till date, which means that they have done better than the chasing of Gujarat’s 202 in the opening game of WPL 2025.
Smriti Mandhana
Player of the Match at the WPL 2026 final was Without a doubt Smriti Mandhana. Besides scoring the highest number of runs in WPL 2026 (377), the RCB leader also got the milestone of 1,000 career WPL runs. She is just the fifth player to be accorded with this great distinction alongside Nat Sciver Brunt, Meg Lanning, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Shafali Verma.
Besides, she had an extraordinary final innings which the RCB batting Coach even called her “inhuman”, as she not only went on till the end of the innings with illness, but also took on the responsibility of getting the chase done and performed the pressure of the game situation on the biggest stage. And Voll, their partnership will forever be recalled as one of the finest moments in the rather short, but very glorious Women’s Premier League history.
Delhi Capitals’ Heartbreak Continues
In fact, the WPL 2026 final was the fourth straight WPL final that Delhi Capitals ended up as the runner up, based on various sources. Actually, Delhi Capitals have been a dominant force that has been frightening the other teams with their ability to not only appear at finals but also quite often fail to win. Jemimah Rodrigues, apart from being a very good batter, has grown as a leader quite remarkably, transforming the team into the group of players who can really win the games and always leading by example. What is more, Delhi’s highlight on the night was her 57, with her captaincy being widely acclaimed throughout the WPL 2026 season.
Despite the loss, DC mentor Jonathan Batty looked at the bright side and believed that if the team kept their faith and effort alive, a title would be there to claim someday. Besides, with the arrival of youngsters like Nandani Sharma who was one of the leading wicket takers of the season there is hardly anything Delhi can be pessimistic about.
Key Records from the WPL 2026 Final
The WPL 2026 final produced several records worth noting:
- RCB’s successful chase of 204 is the highest in Women’s Premier League history
- The Mandhana-Voll partnership of 165 runs off 92 balls is the biggest stand in any WPL game
- Smriti Mandhana’s 377 runs made her the top scorer of the WPL 2026 season
- Delhi Capitals’ total of 203 was the highest score ever recorded in Vadodara in WPL cricket
- This was RCB’s second WPL title, after their 2024 triumph
- Delhi suffered their fourth WPL final defeat, making them the unluckiest team in the league’s playoff history
The Bigger Picture
The WPL 2026 final wasn’t just a cricket match deciding a winner. It reflected the position of women’s cricket in India now. The Women’s Premier League, which started in 2023, has changed drastically and rapidly not only in the number of viewers but also in the skill level of the players and the quality of competition. This final, full of excitement, the main characters, great plays, and great records being broken, is only evidence that this tournament has not only discovered its identity but also that it is a permanent fixture in the sport.
Final was broadcasted live in multiple Star Sports Network channels and JioCinema made the live streaming available at no cost to online viewers in India, thereby ensuring that millions got to see the event. Tournament’s popularity is increasing day by day, and the seasons like WPL 2026 make sure that the pace of popularity increases.
Winning their second championship, Royal Challengers Bengaluru has unquestionably established itself as the dominant force in the women’s franchise cricket in India. With Smriti Mandhana at the lead, charismatic, classy, and continuously driven the RCB saga is destined to have many more chapters.
Final Thoughts
The WPL 2026 final turned out to be a perfect finale to what has perhaps been the most hard fought season of the Women’s Premier League so far. It really had it all: a highest ever aggregate, the highest ever successful chase, the highest ever partnership, a captain who, despite battling flu, is a living example of what is possible when one refuses to give up, and the finish of the last over that had all the cricket fans so suffocated in tension that they willingly remained stuck even till the last ball. Whether you had the opportunity to watch it live or you are watching it after a while, for real, it was the kind of game that makes you remember the times when sport, in its highest form, is truly something that you just should not miss.
Read more: Niki Prasad | Pratika Rawal
