England quick Lauren Bell has emerged from the latest season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) with more than just a winner’s medal. A key figure in Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women’s title-winning campaign, Bell combined incisive new-ball spells with a surge in global popularity that has made her one of the most followed cricketers in England.
Speaking on the Wisden Women’s Cricket Weekly, Bell reacted with disbelief when told she is now the third most-followed English cricketer on Instagram, boasting 2.3 million followers more than Joe Root and Jofra Archer combined. “Yeah, that is wild,” she said. “I had like 800K before I got signed for RCB, so I’d already had a lot for a female cricketer, I guess. But yeah, as soon as I got out there, it’s just like they have such passionate fans.”
RCB’s fan culture has long been one of the most distinctive in franchise cricket. The Bengaluru-based side, across both the men’s and women’s competitions, are renowned for their fiercely loyal and highly engaged support, regularly filling stadiums in red and dominating online conversations. That backing translated seamlessly to the women’s team, with supporters embracing Bell from the moment she arrived.
The franchise’s digital reach and emotional connection with fans meant that every performance, celebration and behind-the-scenes clip travelled fast and Bell quickly became one of the faces of the campaign.
The spike was instant. Bell revealed she crossed one million followers within her first week in India. “I remember I got to a million in like the first week and I was like, a million people? How are a million people following me on Instagram?” Since the start of the tournament, she has added roughly 1.5 million more. Despite the meteoric rise, she insists her approach online hasn’t changed. “I’ve definitely not got used to it. I still post on it like I’ve got about 10 of my friends. But I guess that’s a part of it — that’s why people follow me. They want to see what I’m up to.”
If her social media growth has been explosive, her on-field impact was just as significant. Bell finished the tournament with 12 wickets at an economy rate of 5.52, the best economy among bowlers in the competition. Operating primarily with the new ball, she was instrumental during the powerplay, consistently striking early and conceding minimal boundaries. Her ability to extract bounce and shape the ball away from right-handers gave RCB control in the first six overs, allowing captain Smriti Mandhana to dictate fields aggressively.
In the final against Delhi Capitals Women, Bell’s influence was subtle but crucial. She returned figures of 0 for 19 from her four overs, the most economical spell of the match, helping restrict Delhi to 203 for 4 a daunting total, but one that remained within reach. By applying pressure up front and through the middle overs, Bell prevented the Capitals from accelerating beyond control, ensuring the target, while steep, was chaseable.
That foundation proved vital as RCB completed a record-breaking 204 for 4 in 19.4 overs to seal the championship. While the final will be remembered for Mandhana’s brilliance and the decisive partnership that defined the chase, the victory was equally built on the bowling unit’s discipline throughout the season and Bell was at its heart. Her powerplay effectiveness became a recurring theme across the campaign.
Whether removing opposition openers or forcing conservative starts, she repeatedly shifted momentum in RCB’s favour. In a format where early breakthroughs often dictate outcomes, Bell’s consistency provided structure and calm. She was not merely a supporting act in a star-studded squad; she was a tactical weapon.
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