Voll, Mandhana helped RCB win second WPL title. (NOT a photo) NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana summed up a historic night with a familiar chant – “Ee sala cup namdu” – after guiding her side to a second Women’s Premier League title and completing what she called the franchise’s “amazing” success across formats.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!RCB Women broke the title drought with a milestone in 2024 before the men lifted the IPL trophy last year. Mandhana’s side have now sealed another chapter in the franchise’s revival by beating Delhi Capitals by six wickets in the WPL final, chasing a daunting 204.
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“Very happy. RCB fans are the best in the world, wherever we play, we have great support. Three titles in three years for the franchise — it’s amazing,” Mandhana said after the win, dedicating the moment to the loyal fan base. “This is for you guys… Ee sala cup namdu 2!”Despite conceding 203 in the summit clash, Mandhana revealed that the dressing room remained calm. “We definitely thought it was a good surface to bat on. Obviously, 200 plus in the final is a good score, but the way we bowled in the last four overs helped us,” she said, citing Lauren Bell’s economical spell as the winning moment.READ ALSO: ‘She’s been through a lot’: Shreyanka Patil dedicates RCB’s WPL triumph to Smriti MandhanaMandhana also praised Georgia Voll’s aggressive intent at the top for setting the tone in the chase. “Volly led the way… 10-15 days ago I had a feeling she was going to hit the winning shot in the final. She worked extremely hard and I’m glad it paid off,” she added.A key theme in Mandhana’s remarks was the clarity of role provided by support staff. “Right from the auction, everyone knew what was expected – the batting order, the bowling phase. It makes our job easier,” she said, praising head coach Malolan Rangarajan and the management group.She highlighted the team’s collective work ethic as the driving force behind their faith. “When the girls are in the gym and training, you feel like you can catch any score,” she noted.As Delhi Capitals suffered their fourth consecutive finals defeat, captain Jemimah Rodrigues praised her team’s fight and said, “Couldn’t be more proud of this group… everyone gave their best.”
