Royal Challengers Bengaluru head coach Malolan Rangarajan beamed with pride at the post-match press conference after RCB clinched their second WPL title in four seasons, defeating Delhi Capitals by six wickets with two balls to spare in the 2026 final at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara.
Smriti Mandhana’s explosive 87 off 41 balls, paired with Georgia Voll’s gritty 79 off 54, powered a historic 165-run second-wicket stand, the highest partnership for any wicket in WPL history, chasing down DC’s record 203/4. This victory marked RCB’s hat-trick of Indian franchise titles (WPL 2024, IPL 2025, WPL 2026), leaving DC as runners-up for the fourth straight season.
Rangarajan reserved his highest praise for Mandhana, who overcame a high fever to anchor the chase despite RCB’s bowling leaks. “Smriti Mandhana. I think she saved one of her best innings for the final. The way she batted today was inhuman. She was so classy, so elegant.
It didn’t look like a chase of 200,” he said, crediting her pre-match training and mindset shift from the UP Warriorz game. Mandhana’s knock, featuring 12 boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 212.2, not only earned her Player of the Match but also the Orange Cap with 377 runs at a 153.25 strike rate across nine innings.
Delving into their seamless partnership, Rangarajan highlighted four years of collaboration. “With Smriti, both of us know exactly what our roles are. Good camaraderie, I’d say. Thoroughly enjoyed working with her,” he noted, emphasising clear divisions in auctions, selections, and on-field leadership. This trust shone through in bold calls, like promoting Radha Yadav up the order after Ellyse Perry’s absence.
Yadav’s crucial 12 off 5, including back-to-back boundaries in the final over, sealed the win despite a dropped catch. Rangarajan explained the foresight: scouting her Baroda performances and simulations prepared her for pressure situations, turning disappointment over India’s Australia tour snub into fuel. “The good thing with Radha was that she was clear about her purpose here, full credit to her.”
Reflecting on season challenges, Rangarajan dismissed any “smooth sailing” narrative despite six league wins. “From the outside, obviously, when you win five, it looks good, but there are going to be obstacles. The keyword is outside,” he stressed, praising adaptability from DY Patil pitches to Baroda’s pace-friendly tracks.
Swapping Linsey Smith for Sayali Satghare mid-tournament unlocked batting depth, while Voll’s resurgence, 170 runs in six innings, including two fifties, exemplified preparation. Rangarajan also nodded to Mandhana’s pitch assessment during the mid-innings huddle: take it deep to the 18th-19th over.
As RCB joins Mumbai Indians with two WPL titles each, Smriti Mandhana, matching Harmanpreet Kaur, Rangarajan savoured the franchise’s dominance. His style on the field, learned from years as an assistant coach, gave players clarity amid the chaos.
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