Smriti Mandhana led an outstanding performance as she scored a mouthwatering knock of 81 runs in DC vs RCB to propel Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to an 8-wicket victory over the Delhi Capitals in the fourth match of the WPL 2025 at Kotambi Stadium.
An explosive knock full of fireworks, that included a wonderful six over mid-off and a swift-fifty, really was the highlight of the evening. RCB held Delhi to 141 and then employed Mandhana’s stellar performance to chase down the target comfortably.
The Match-Winning Effort from Smriti Mandhana
Mandhana’s innings of 81 off 47 balls was a perfect blend of elegance and aggression. RCB was set to chase only 141 runs after winning the coin toss and sending Delhi into bat. With respect to bowling, Renuka Singh and Georgia Wareham made an outstanding spell with one thing in mind: to limit the opponent’s scoring as much as possible. RCB was mightily confident going into the chase as they knew the target was modest.
Mandhana was off to a flyer, opening the batting with Danielle Wyatt-Hodge. The moment of brilliance came in the fifth over of the chase. Facing Arundhati Reddy, Smriti bent her knee and executed a picture-perfect shot, sending the ball soaring over mid-off for a magnificent six. The execution and timing of the shot left the fans in awe; the footage of the stroke went viral soon after on social media.
The brilliance of Mandhana’s stroke play was the key feature of her innings. Added to that six, she struck 10 fours and 3 sixes during her innings. Given her dominance against pace and spin, she showed incredible range during her time on the batting crease. Her partnership with Wyatt-Hodge was applied to achieve success at RCB.
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Smriti Mandhana Scored 500 Runners in WPL
Mandhana’s innings of 81 runs also had another feather in her career WPL cap. She became the sixth overall batsman to reach the 500-run milestone in the history of the league, thus joining the list of exclusive players to have made a huge impact in the tournament. The list comprises mainly Indian players, among others, like Shefali Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur, who have touched the 500-runs derelict in the leagues.
As of now, Meg Lanning, is the all-time leading run-scorer with 708 runs, in WPL. Mandhana has 539 runs under her belt in 20 WPL matches, maintaining an average close to 27. She is another consistent performer in the competition with the bat.
RCB’s Fine Performance
RCB’s win was not only on account of Mandhana’s marauding innings with the bat but also hinged on a fine all-around performance to win by 8 wickets. After restricting Delhi to 141 runs, RCB’s chase got off in mad style. Mandhana and Wyatt-Hodge took RCB ahead in the race with a stupendous 57 runs for their partnership during this powerplay.
Mandhana’s knock of 81 runs set the tone for RCB’s successful chase, while she stood up well to win the match by 8 wickets. Wyatt-Hodge contributed a steady 26 runs in the innings building up a solid partnership. RCB completed the chase in just 16.2 overs, a fine display of their hammering supremacy in the game.
RCB Bowlers Ripped as Delhi Pushes Up for 141
RCB’s bowlers did an exceptional job, saving 141 runs on the board for the Delhi Capitals. The win was crucial for them to win the toss and decide to bat first. They did very well with pace, taking on important wickets that kept Delhi’s batting under limits. Renuka collected 3 wickets for 23 runs, while Wareham finished with 3 wickets for 25 runs.
Delhi Capitals’ batting crumbled under pressure, with only Jemima Rodrigues (34) and Sarah Bryce (23) at the crease providing any real offensive support. Their innings finished at 141 runs in 19.3 overs and thus put a reasonable target for RCB.
Smriti Mandhana’s knock was undoubtedly the star of the show as RCB cruised past Delhi Capitals to record an 8-wicket victory. She shone bright with her 81 runs, scoring her name to huge accolades, while the view of her hammering a miraculous six over mid-off will provide parties with some conversation.
Also, Mandhana now enters the 500-run club in WPL, undoubtedly climbing into the further echelon of the WPL league over your competitors. To play with the context of this win, RCB has continued forcefully building its narrative in WPL 2025.
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