Delhi Capitals Women vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women, 11th Match, Women's Premier League 2026 - Commentary

That's it from the here. We take a day's break now as the action moves to Vadodara. We will see you day after. Bye for now.

Smriti Mandhana | Player of the Match and RCB-W captain: It was amazing to see the way everyone bowled, especially in the first three overs to get them four down. Sayali coming in as a debut and getting those two crucial wickets and then Bell doing what Bell does the best. But again, I mean, the way Shafali was going, she was looking really good and then we changed our plans and tried to bowl, give her a single. And I feel everyone really executed their plans well. (on their bowling) I mean, we had definitely... Anya Shrubsole has been on it. She's an experienced player and has played so much. So, of course, those planning and all of those things are coming together. And then in the strategy timeout we knew that Shafali is the only batter who could do that damage and get them to 180 plus. So it was clear that we have to bowl our best balls to her and try and get her off the strike. And it's easy to just say that, but everyone just went ahead. Prema bowled well, Radha bowled well and everyone whoever came in in that phase bowled extremely well today. (on her knock) Yeah, it was good. I mean, chasing a total is something which is a lot easier than setting up because as a batter, you don't know what's good enough, especially on wickets like these. So when they got 160-odd and we lost Grace, I knew which bowlers I have to take on and which bowlers I have to respect. So, yeah, again, small little things you do, but some days it works, some days it doesn't in T20 and I'm happy that it worked today for us and we won the match. (is this your best 11?) Yeah, for sure. I mean, the first three matches also, we definitely won it, but we thought we are one batter short and Voll coming in at number three fits in really well. And yeah, unfortunately today, Aru was unwell. So if that swap happens, I mean, that would be the best 11 for us.

Highest individual scores in WPL
99* - Georgia Voll (UPW-W) vs RCB-W, Lucknow, 2025
99 - Sophie Devine (RCB-W) vs GG-W, Brabourne, 2023
96* - Alyssa Healy (UPW-W) vs RCB-W, Brabourne, 2023
96* - Beth Mooney (GG-W) vs UPW-W, Lucknow, 2025
96 - Smriti Mandhana (RCB-W) vs DC-W, Mumbai DYP, 2026

Highest partnerships in WPL (any wicket)
162 - Shafali Verma & Meg Lanning (DC-W) vs RCB-W, Brabourne, 2023
146* - Shafali Verma & Jess Jonassen (DC-W) vs RCB-W, Bengaluru, 2025
142 - Smriti Mandhana & Georgia Voll (RCB-W) vs DC-W, Mumbai DYP, 2026
140 - Beth Mooney & Laura Wolvaardt (GG-W) vs RCB-W, Delhi, 2024
139* - Alyssa Healy & Devika Vaidya (UPW-W) vs RCB-W, Brabourne, 2023

100-plus stands for RCB-W in WPL (any wicket)
142 - Smriti Mandhana & Georgia Voll vs DC-W, Mumbai DYP, 2026
137 - Smriti Mandhana & Grace Harris vs UPW, Mumbai DYP, 2026
125 - Smriti Mandhana & Sophie Devine vs GG-W, Brabourne, 2023
107 - Smriti Mandhana & Danni Wyatt-Hodge vs DC-W, Vadodara, 2025
105 - Richa Ghosh & Radha Yadav vs GG-W, Mumbai DYP, 2026

All four featuring Mandhana came in run-chases.

Batters involved in most century stands in WPL
4 - Nat Sciver-Brunt
4 - Shafali Verma
4 - Meg Lanning
4 - Smriti Mandhana
3 - Beth Mooney
3 - Hayley Matthews

WPL games at DY Patil, Navi Mumbai
Target > 180: Instances 9 | Won 1 | Lost 8
Target < 180: Instances 13 | Won 13 | Lost 0

Most consecutive wins in WPL
5 - MI-W (2023)
5 - MI-W (2023-24)
5 - RCB-W (2024-25)
5 - RCB-W (2025-26)
4 - DC-W (2024)

This is the second time that a team has started its WPL campaign with four (or more) wins in a row; MI-W had won five on the trot to kick off their 2023 season.

Georgia Voll: Yeah, I mean, it was very scratchy. So, you know, to get through that little tough period there with Smriti striking it at the other end sort of made it easy for me just to, yeah, try and build a little partnership there and it was nice to finish it off as well. (what were your feelings when you were not picked till tonight) Yeah, it was sort of like midday today that I sort of found out that I was playing. So, yeah, I was sort of just getting my head around, you know, not running water and actually getting out there and playing a little bit of cricket. I haven't sort of played in a little bit. So, yeah, it was nice to get out there and, you know, put a all right performance on to start again. (any advice given to Smriti?) No, I didn't get the hundred either. So there was no advice for me. She was smashing it down the other end. I actually thought she got that one through there. So obviously a bit disappointing, but yeah, the way she batted tonight obviously was a very key reason why we got the win. (vibe in the camp) Yeah, it's great. Yeah, we've got a quality group of players. Everyone's working super hard and yeah, it's a great team to be a part of. Obviously first year at RCB. So yeah, it's nice to get a couple of wins and head to Baroda and try and get a couple more.

Jemimah Rodrigues | DC-W captain: (on her feelings when Smriti was on 96) Nothing much actually, I just wanted, you know, to get her wicket, obviously, but I think she batted really well and credit goes to her today for the way she played, but an outstanding catch by Hammo, yeah. (on the fightback from 10/4) 100%, I think from 10 for 4 for Shifu to bat the way she did. And I think what I liked about her was that she still kept being positive, she still kept playing her game in spite of wickets falling and to finish off small, small partnerships and Lucy Hamilton on her debut, I mean, that was outstanding. (on Hamilton) To be honest, I knew she could bat, but I've never seen her bat the way she did today. I mean, it was crazy. It was crazy the way she, you know, the thing I loved about her was she was so calm under pressure, even in her first game. So I think she chose her options well and she ended up getting our team to a decent score, fighting score, I would say. (could she have done anything differently in the chase?) Yeah, I mean, there are always those moments, you know, you think about it. But yeah, maybe, maybe I could have got in Kappy earlier to get her a wicket. But yeah, I think, I think the way Nandni also bowled was good. So yeah, I think we just go back, we have to work a lot more on our bowling and yeah, come back stronger. (on their next game) I think we have nothing to lose now. We are just going to go all out and do whatever it takes to help us win.

22:56 Local Time, 17:26 GMT, 22:56 IST: Four in a row for RCB-W. They look unstoppable. Smiles in their camp. Grace Harris went early but Smriti was on a different level tonight. She timed it from the word go. Georgia Voll took her time and didn't look in control but didn't give it away as she watched Smriti go about smashing it. Then Voll picked it up and their 142-run stand brought RCB-W to the doorstep of victory. When all eyes were on Smriti's 100, a good catch dismissed her and broke the crowd's hearts. The job was then finished by Voll and Richa Ghosh. With dew coming it's always advantage chasing here and RCB-W had no issues. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff...