DC's date with destiny: Can they finally crack the WPL final?

Delhi Capitals find themselves in a familiar yet uncomfortable position as they walk into their fourth consecutive Women's Premier League final. Consistency has never been their problem, but silverware has remained elusive, with heartbreak defining each of their previous three appearances at this stage. That pressure to end this streak will feel heavier considering opportunities like these don't come endlessly.

The route to a fourth final hasn't been easy for the Capitals. They lost three out of their first four games, suffered two identical shocking defeats at the hands of Sophie Devine right at the final hurdle, almost suffered another collapse in a must-win game before finally prevailing to make it to the Eliminator. In the knockout fixture, they managed to avenge those defeats to Giants with a near-flawless performance. But now, they will have to pull themselves up for the third time in five days.

Standing in their way are Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a side that knows what it takes to cross the final hurdle. Having already tasted championship success once (against the same opponent), RCB arrive with a calmer relationship with the occasion, even if the pressure of expectation is never far away given the fanbase this franchise carries. Despite the absence of star allrounder Ellyse Perry, RCB had a near-perfect campaign by winning their first five games. A minor blip was followed by a demolition job of the UP Warriorz to round off the league stage and as a result, confidence will be sky high in that dugout.

While RCB have had the easier route to the final, earning a direct qualification, history hasn't been kind to DC who were on the same boat in the last three editions - a streak that the three-time finalists hope will continue for a fourth straight season. When RCB's women lifted the title in 2024, they did so carrying the weight of a long-standing men's hoodoo - one that eventually ended the following year. Delhi Capitals, still waiting for a first title across both teams, will hope this final can be a similar turning point.

When: February 5, 2026 at 7:30 PM IST

Where: BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara

What to expect: The surfaces in Vadodara have generated middling scores more often than not, compared to Navi Mumbai. DC have had a much better record here this season compared to RCB and they would hope that gives them an advantage. The spinners will once again be expected to have a say here.

Team News

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Pooja Vastrakar's long wait on the sidelines ended in RCB's final league fixture. She wasn't available to bowl and wasn't needed to bat. But RCB might still stick with her in the team as a pure finisher.

Probable XI: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana(c), Georgia Voll, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh(w), Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Lauren Bell

Delhi Capitals

The Capitals would want to carry forward the momentum from the last game and are expected to retain their XI.

Probable XI: Lizelle Lee(w), Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues(c), Marizanne Kapp, Chinelle Henry, Niki Prasad, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma

Did you know?

- Only once has a target above 160 been chased down in Vadodara so far.

- Grace Harris has a strike rate of 180.95 this season and Smriti Mandhana is just 10 short of 300 runs this campaign. However, Marizanne Kapp boasts a superior record against both - dismissing them a combined 13 times in T20s.

What they said:

"I'm really happy that everyone had that sort of a break and enjoyed it with each other and came back being very fresh. And again, looking forward to the finals because sometimes sitting in the hotel room, not doing much can cause a lot of overthinking. So I'm happy that we had that sort of a break and RCB took us to Goa." - RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana on the break before the final

"This year was a lot more hard work. But I think the way the girls stuck together stood out for me. Especially when things don't go your way, it's very easy for a team to scatter. But I think this team actually came together and those losses actually helped us bond a lot more and be a lot more together and come out of it." - DC skipper Jemimah Rodrigues on her side's harder route to the final