Delhi Capitals’ performance against Punjab Kings on Saturday (April 25, 2026) had the fluctuations of a volatile stock market. So wildly did it oscillate from the sublime to the ridiculous, as an exemplary batting effort to amass 264 for two — DC’s highest total in IPL history — was followed by a horror show with the ball and in the field. While the bowling appeared rudderless on a pitch that played better than expected, the malaise of dropped catches spread like wildfire, allowing Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh to make merry with half-centuries.

Dispiriting as that was, Axar Patel’s men have little time to contemplate, given that they run into another formidable opponent in Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday (April 27).

In a format which places high value on variations and innovations, Josh Hazlewood has stuck to the tried and trusted.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru fast bowler revels in honing in on a hard length, making it tough for batters to get under and slog.

This classical approach has worked well not just in the two IPL 2026 matches he has played thus far, but in the previous season as well.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, oftentimes slow starters, has shot off the blocks this time around. With four wins in five outings, RCB has laid claim to early favourites to grab the IPL 2026 title.

On Saturday (April 18, 2026), Delhi Capitals faces the arduous task of stopping RCB’s run.

Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll couldn’t have found a better occasion to produce a partnership for the ages. With the Women’s Premier League trophy up for grabs against Delhi Capitals at the Kotambi Stadium on Thursday, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru pair came together in pursuit of a target of 204 and left the opponent and onlookers in a daze with a sublime show of strokeplay.

The record stand between skipper Smriti and Voll, worth 165 runs, helped RCB clinch its second title in four years. While Smriti caressed her way to a 41-ball 87 (12×4, 3×6), Voll hit 79 (54b, 14×4) as the southern side tracked down the highest target in a WPL final with six wickets in hand and two balls to spare.

The climax wasn’t without its nervous moments as RCB lost three wickets in quick succession. With 10 runs needed by the Bengaluru outfit off the final over, bowled by Shree Charani, a couple of singles were followed by back-to-back fours from Radha Yadav to finish the game in style. Radha was dropped by Minnu Mani in the penultimate over of the chase.

For Jemimah Rodrigues’ DC, a fourth straight runner-up finish will be a bitter pill to swallow.

Despite the dismissal of Grace Harris in the second over, RCB kept up with the asking rate through the partnership between Smriti and Voll. In the initial stages, Smriti didn’t get much strike.

Voll took charge — cheeky ramps behind the wicket, fierce cuts square on the off-side and elegant drives in front all flowed from the Australian’s willow.

Through the middle overs, Smriti came into her own. She deployed her twinkling feet against spin in serene fashion, notably dancing down the track to Shree Charani for a six over long-on in the 11th over.

RCB’s response with the bat overshadowed Jemimah’s 37-ball 57. The rest of the Capitals batters chipped in with brisk contributions.

Laura Wolvaardt (44, 25b, 3×4, 2×6) and Chinelle Henry (35 n.o., 15b, 4×4, 2×6) provided the finishing kick with a blistering stand of 55 off just 24 balls. Wolvaardt also forged a 76-run partnership with Jemimah.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals aren’t in uncharted territory as they gear up for the final of the Women’s Premier League on Thursday. Two seasons ago, it was these two teams that battled for the grand prize at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Smriti Mandhana and Co. emerged victorious then, spreading cheer among a fervent fan base yearning for silverware.

Cut to the present, the circumstances ahead of the final at the Kotambi Stadium differ slightly. Unlike in 2024, RCB qualified for the summit clash this time directly after topping the league standings. It has led to a week-long build-up to the big game for the Bengaluru outfit. To allow the players to unwind for a bit before redirecting their energies to the task at hand, the team enjoyed a three-day breather in Goa immediately after its last game.

Capitals, on the other hand, have had to take a more arduous route. Having finished first in the league phase in the previous three seasons only to lose the final, Jemimah Rodrigues’ side may not mind this scenario. After a feeble beginning to the campaign, the three-time runner-up has found all the pieces of the jigsaw coming together in recent matches.

Besides handling the responsibility of captaincy with poise, Jemimah has exhibited exquisite touch with the willow of late. In a chase of 169 against Gujarat Giants in Tuesday’s Eliminator, the 25-year-old’s 23-ball 41 at No. 4 was essential in shutting out the hosts altogether. Lizelle Lee, Shafali Varma and Laura Wolvaardt are also in sparkling form.

For RCB, the fourth edition has been smooth-sailing. It won its first five games, and suffered a blip in the form of two defeats only after sealing its spot in the playoffs. In addition to Smriti, Grace Harris, Georgia Voll and Richa Ghosh are fully capable of swaying the outcome in RCB’s favour with the bat. For the wickets, RCB will look towards Lauren Bell, Nadine de Klerk and Shreyanka Patil.

Will a repeat of 2024 unfold? Or will Capitals turn the tables? Either way, it will perhaps come down to fine margins.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Smriti Mandhana praised the team’s bowling unit after a dominant win against Delhi Capitals in the 11th match of the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season on Saturday (January 17, 2026).

DC captain Jemimah Rodrigues, on the other hand, praised Shafali Verma’s batting but admitted the team’s bowling needs to improve.

Chasing 167, Smriti Mandhana (96 off 61 balls, including 13 fours and three sixes), along with Georgia Voll (54* runs off 42 balls, including five fours and two sixes), were the standout performers with the bat for the Bengaluru-based franchise.

On the bowling front, Lauren Bell (3-26 in four overs) and Sayali Satghare (3-27 in three overs), along with Prema Rawat (2-16 in three overs), were the standout performers.

After winning the Player of the Match award for her 96-run innings, Mandhana praised the bowling unit for executing their plans brilliantly, especially in the opening overs.

“It was amazing to see everyone bowling well, especially in the first three overs. Sayali and Bell doing what they do best. I feel everyone executed the plans well. Anya has been on it, she is an experienced player and she knows having done it. We wanted to get Shafali off the strike and everyone just bowled extremely well in that phase,” Mandhana said at the post-match presentations.

Mandhana said chasing made batting easier, as it helped her decide which bowlers to attack and defend against.

Mandhana also noted that bringing Georgia Voll in at No. 3 strengthened the batting line-up, making the team more balanced.

“It was good. Chasing a total is a lot easier than setting up as you never knew what is a good total. When we lost Grace, I knew which bowlers to take on and which bowler to defend. Good it worked. We thought we were one batter short in the last three games, and Voll coming in at No. 3 fits in well,” Mandhana added further.

Delhi Capitals’ captain Jemimah Rodrigues praised Shafali’s aggressive batting that lifted the team from 10/4 to 166/10 in the end. However, she also added that the team needs to improve its bowling and will return with a fearless, all-out approach.

Jemimah Rodrigues said, “From 10 for 4 how Shifu [Shafali] batted was great and I was so happy with the way she kept the intent on. And also Lucy in her debut game. I knew she could bat but I have never seen her bat. It was crazy. She was so calm under pressure. She ended up taking our team to a fighting score. [On not bowling Kapp earlier] There are always those moments. Maybe I could have got Kapp back early. But Nandani also bowled well. We have to work on our bowling and come back stronger. We have nothing to lose and will go all out.”

Chasing 167, RCB were rocked early as they lost opener Grace Harris (1) early in the innings, whose wicket was claimed by DC’s Marizanne Kapp.

However, a 142-run partnership off 91 balls not only brought RCB back into the game, but it also made sure the team remained unbeaten in the WPL 2026.

While DC did manage to get rid of Mandhana in the final stages of the match, Voll remained unbeaten and took RCB over the line with a boundary, with 10 balls remaining.

For DC, only Marizanne Kapp (1-21 in four overs) and Nandini Sharma (1-34 in four overs) were the wicket-takers in the match.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals were bundled out for 166 in 20 overs. After being reduced to 10/4, the Capitals slumped to 74/6 at one stage after they lost wicketkeeper-batter Lizelle Lee (4), Laura Wolvaardt (0), captain Jemimah Rodrigues (4), Marizanne Kapp (0), Niki Prasad (12), and Minnu Mani (5).

Opener Shafali Verma played a superb knock of 62 runs off 41 deliveries, including five fours and four sixes. She was supported by Sneh Rana (22) and Lucy Hamilton (36) as they rescued Delhi to 166.

By the time the spectators could settle in at the D.Y. Patil Stadium on Saturday (January 17, 2026) evening, Delhi Capitals was four wickets down with just 10 runs on the board. An eerie silence descended on the dugout, with the team struggling to come to terms with the early setback.

But Shafali Verma wasn’t the one to press the panic button. She counterattacked with a 41-ball 62 (5×4, 4×6) as Capitals recovered and put up 166. But in the end, her efforts went in vain as Royal Challengers Bengaluru rode on captain Smriti Mandhana’s 61-ball 96 (13×4, 3×6) to pull off an eight-wicket win and end the first phase of the Women’s Premier League unbeaten.

RCB chased down Capitals’ 166 without breaking a sweat. Despite losing Grace Harris early on, Smriti forged a 142-run partnership off 91 balls for the second wicket with Georgia Voll (54 n.o., 42b, 5×4, 2×6). Throughout her innings, Smriti seemed to be in no hurry as she played by the merit of the ball, before missing out on a first-ever century in the tournament by just four runs. But Voll and Richa Ghosh took RCB home with 10 balls to spare.

The Bengaluru outfit notched up its fourth successive win while the bottom-placed Delhi side suffered its third loss in four games.

Before Smriti stole the show, Shafali entertained the crowd. Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare made the new ball count and triggered Capitals’ collapse in the first couple of overs. But Shafali produced a blistering riposte, with a flurry of fours and sixes.

Shafali knew that it was important to forge partnerships and she did stitch a few — a 59-run stand with Niki Prasad for the fifth wicket was followed by a couple of smaller ones with Sneh Rana and Lucy Hamilton for the seventh and eighth wickets. With India’s head coach Amol Muzumdar in attendance, Shafali not only brought smiles to the Capitals camp, but also proved her mettle by coming up with one of her grittiest innings.

Shafali and Hamilton, making her debut in the tournament, ensured that Capitals reached a respectable total.

After Bell brought an end to Shafali’s innings, Hamilton hammered Shreyanka Patil for a couple of sixes and a four.

But in the end, the efforts proved futile.