Women's Cricket
Smriti Mandhana commends Royal Challengers Bangalore management after winning WPL
RCB, on Sunday, defeated Delhi Capitals by eight wickets to win the second edition of the Women's Premier League.
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Smirti Mandhana posing for a photograph with the WPL silverware on March 17, 2024.
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Smriti Mandhana commended the team management for keeping the faith in the players following its disastrous campaign in the inaugural season of Women's Premier League (WPL) in 2023 when RCB could win only two matches and finished fourth among five teams.
RCB, on Sunday, handed out Delhi Capitals an eight-wicket defeat to clinch the second edition of the WPL, with youngsters Shreyanka Patil and Sophie Molineux standing out with the balls to skittle out DC for 113.
"Last year taught us a lot of things, as a player, as a captain and as a team. The management, the way they backed me during the review after the season…they have been through a lot and a big thumbs up (to them)," Mandhana said, acknowledging the support received.
Talking of the feeling of winning the WPL, Mandhana said, "The feeling has not sunk in yet, maybe it will take time. Hard for me to come out with a lot of expressions. Only thing I want to say is I am proud of the bunch."
This was RCB's maiden title across genders. RCB men came close to winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) thrice in 2009, 2011 and 2016. But on all three occasions, it lost. The franchise's women's team changed that anomaly by winning the WPL 2024.
Talking about breaking the final jinx, Mandhana said, "I said it in the last press conference that we will not take the unnecessary pressure for the last 15 seasons of RCB. This was our (WPL) second season. We wanted to play good cricket, but sometimes franchises get linked. It is not that RCB has not reached the finals before, they have been finalists thrice and have played amazing cricket, but unfortunately, they were not able to lift the trophy. Not only the women, but this is the start of something cool for the franchise as a whole because the management deserves this."
While Shreyanka picked up four wickets for 12 runs and Sophie Molineux picked up three for 20, Mandhana (31), Sophie Devine (32) and Elysse Perry (35 not out) steered the team home with the willow to register the victory with three balls to spare.
