Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s opening batter Grace Harris lit up the post-match press conference after RCB’s dominant 8-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in WPL 2026 Match 11 on January 17 at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, the final game of the leg before the tournament shifts to Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, from January 19.
Chasing 167, RCB cruised home with 10 balls to spare, powered by Smriti Mandhana’s blistering 96 off 61 balls (13 fours, 3 sixes), earning her Player of the Match honours in her side’s fourth straight win and an unassailable lead atop the points table with 8 points from 4 games. Grace Harris praised the bowlers’ execution and the team’s collective resilience in her engaging remarks.
RCB skipper Mandhana’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss paid instant dividends, as Lauren Bell (4-0-26-3) and Sayali Satghare (3-0-27-3) demolished DC to 10/4 by the second over. Shafali Verma’s gritty 62 off 41 (5 fours, 4 sixes) anchored the innings with partnerships alongside Niki Prasad (59-run stand for the 5th wicket) and Sneh Rana (34 for the 7th), but debutant Lucy Hamilton’s explosive 36 off 19 (3 fours, 3 sixes) couldn’t prevent DC folding for 166. Prema Rawat (3-0-16-2) and Nadine de Klerk (4-0-31-1) chipped in.
In the chase, Harris fell early, but Georgia Voll’s unbeaten 54 off 42 steadied alongside Mandhana’s near-century, a massive 142-run second wicket stand that fell just short of history. Harris highlighted how RCB has mastered the conditions, crediting a “pretty good team effort” where “multiple people chip in.”
“I think we’ve been pretty fortunate with the conditions and winning the toss here with the dew coming in late. Obviously, bowling first, you get the most out of the wicket and the most out of a new ball. Credit to our bowlers for keeping pretty much all of our games under 190, we’ve had four or five different people stand up, so you know you can’t ask for much more, especially in this format.”
She reserved special praise for Satghare’s swing bowling, calling her dismissal of Marizanne Kapp a “genuine peach” and noting her composure under pressure from Shafali Verma. “She’s been bowling really lovely in swing, her ball to Marizanne Kapp to beat the outside edge and take the top of off stump. I thought that was outstanding. Every time one fails, someone else stands up, so tonight, Sayali had a great first over.”
Harris also marveled at Lauren Bell’s adaptability, from away-swing and steep bounce to back-of-the-hand slower balls on a dew-affected pitch, emphasising how hitting the stumps has been RCB’s winning formula. On fielding lapses, she stayed optimistic: “We’re riding on the highs, not the lows. Enjoy your successes while you’re having them.”
Grace Harris was with the UP Warriorz for the first three seasons in the Tata WPL before moving to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the mega auctions on 27th November 2025, for the ongoing 4th season of the tournament. The electric crowd support added to the vibe, with Harris, previously facing hostile atmospheres, delighted by the RCB chants and roars for boundaries.
“It’s been a bit of a surprise experience to hear the RCB chants, if you hit a six, you get a loud loud cheers and applause, it creates such a great atmosphere.” RCB now eyes Gujarat Giants in Match 12 at Kotambi Stadium from 7:30 PM IST, aiming to extend their winning streak this season.
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