Explore how Mandhana’s 96 and Voll’s fifty propelled the team to an 8-wicket win in Navi Mumbai. Get all the match details and insights now.
Introduction:
The Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai witnessed a spectacle of high-quality cricket on Saturday night as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) extended their imperious form in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. Chasing a competitive target of 167, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana orchestrated a batting clinic that was as elegant as it was destructive. Her 96 off 61 balls took her team to the brink of victory, but in a cruel twist of fate, the “90s curse” that has haunted the WPL since its inception claimed yet another victim.
Despite Mandhana’s heartbreak of missing out on a historic first-ever WPL century by just four runs, RCB’s eight-wicket triumph over the Delhi Capitals (DC) was a statement of intent. It was their fourth successive victory of the season, cementing their position at the top of the table and completing a perfect clean sweep of the Navi Mumbai leg. For the Capitals, it was a night of “what ifs,” rescued only from a total collapse by the youthful exuberance of debutant Lucy Hamilton and a resilient half-century from Shafali Verma.
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The New-Ball Blitz: Bell and Satghare Dismantle the Capitals
The foundation of RCB’s victory was laid long before Mandhana strapped on her pads. Opting to bowl first on a surface that promised consistent bounce, RCB’s seamers produced an opening burst that will go down in the league’s folklore. Lauren Bell, the tall English pacer, was the architect of the early chaos. In a sensational first over, she moved the ball both ways, cleaning up the prolific Lizelle Lee with a full swinging delivery before inducing a faint edge from Laura Wolvaardt.
The misery for Delhi didn’t end there. Sayali Satghare, stepping into the high-pressure environment of the RCB XI in place of the legendary Ellyse Perry, proved she was more than up to the task. In the very next over, she delivered a double-blow that sent shockwaves through the DC dugout. Jemimah Rodrigues, looking to assert authority, played on to a delivery that nipped back, and on the very next ball, the dangerous Marizanne Kapp saw her off-stump uprooted by a peach of a delivery.
At 10 for 4 within the first nine balls of the match, Delhi Capitals were staring at the lowest score in WPL history. The RCB new-ball pair had not just taken wickets; they had effectively severed the head of the DC batting order.
Shafali’s Resistance and Hamilton’s Debut Fire
When teams are four down for almost nothing, the traditional response is to retreat into a shell. Shafali Verma, however, does not possess a “shell.” The Indian opener decided that the best form of defense was a calculated counter-attack. While wickets continued to fall at the other end—with Niki Prasad and Minnu Mani failing to build significant partnerships—Shafali stayed true to her natural game.
Her 62 off 41 balls was a masterclass in aggressive recovery. She targeted the shorter boundaries and used her immense power to clear the ropes four times, becoming the first player in WPL history to reach 50 career sixes. Her presence allowed Delhi to breathe, taking the score past the hundred mark and giving the bowlers something to defend.
However, the real surprise of the evening came from the No. 9 spot. Lucy Hamilton, making her WPL debut at just 19 years old, walked into a furnace. With DC reeling at 130/8 after Shafali fell to Bell, Hamilton played an innings of remarkable maturity. In a 19-ball cameo, she hammered 36 runs, including three towering sixes that shifted the momentum back toward the Capitals. Her late-innings fireworks propelled Delhi to 166—a total that felt impossible an hour earlier.
Mandhana’s Symphony: A Chase of Perfection
Chasing 167 is never a foregone conclusion in T20 cricket, especially after losing an early wicket. When Grace Harris fell for just one, caught behind off Marizanne Kapp, a flutter of nerves might have been expected. Instead, Smriti Mandhana decided to play one of the most aesthetic innings the tournament has ever seen.
Mandhana’s batting was a symphony of timing. She treated anything wide with disdain, carving the ball through the covers with surgical precision. But what truly stood out was her evolution on the leg side. She brought out the “lap shot” to perfection, a stroke she has been working on relentlessly in the off-season, and combined it with thunderous pulls that left the DC fielders as mere spectators.
Supported by Georgia Voll, who played a brilliant supporting role with an unbeaten 54, Mandhana dismantled the DC attack. The pair stitched together a 142-run partnership—the highest for any wicket in RCB’s history. Mandhana reached her fifty in 31 balls and then accelerated, moving from 70 to 90 with a flurry of boundaries that seemed to suggest the league’s first century was finally inevitable.
The 90s Curse: Hamilton’s Catch Denies History
As the target drew closer, the tension in the stadium shifted from the result of the match to the milestone on the horizon. With RCB needing 12 runs to win and Mandhana on 96, the script felt written. However, the WPL century remains the “Holy Grail” that refuses to be claimed.
Nandni Sharma drifted a delivery wide of off-stump, inviting the cut shot. Mandhana, perhaps slightly eager to finish the job, connected well, but the ball flew toward the backward point. Lucy Hamilton, who had already enjoyed a dream debut with the bat, capped her night with a moment of brilliance in the field. Diving full-length to her right, she plucked the ball out of the air just inches from the turf.
Mandhana stood frozen for a second, a look of disbelief on her face, before slowly trudging off to a standing ovation. She joined a list of nine other players who have been dismissed in the 90s in the WPL, including teammates Sophie Devine and Georgia Voll (who was left on 99* in 2025).
Victory and the Road Ahead for the Leaders
While the individual milestone was missed, the team goal was achieved with clinical efficiency. Richa Ghosh joined Voll to finish the job with ten balls to spare, sparking celebrations in the RCB camp. The victory not only maintains their 100% record but also highlights the incredible depth in the squad. Winning comfortably without Ellyse Perry speaks volumes about the culture Smriti Mandhana has built this season.
For the Delhi Capitals, the loss is a bitter pill to swallow. Despite the heroic recovery led by Shafali and Hamilton, their bowling lacked the penetration required to rattle a batter of Mandhana’s caliber. Captain Jemimah Rodrigues conceded after the game that they were “20 runs short,” but in truth, no total might have been enough to stop Mandhana in that mood.
As the tournament moves to Vadodara for the next leg, RCB looks like the team to beat. They possess a balanced attack, a firing top order, and a captain who is leading from the front. The only question remains: who will be the one to finally break the century drought? On current form, you wouldn’t bet against it being Smriti Mandhana.
