Smriti Mandhana unleashed her strokes at her best during the meagre run-chase of 142 against Delhi Capitals in the fourth match of the Women’s Premier League 2025. Mandhana hit 81, her now-best knock in the history of the game, to take the Royal Challengers Bengaluru home.
Smriti Mandhana’s blistering knock of 81 powered the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to an easy win over Delhi Capitals at the Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara on Monday, February 17. Chasing 142, Bengaluru made light work of the Capitals bowlers to register an eight-wicket win in just 16.2 overs.
Mandhana slammed her best knock of WPL, bettering the 80 she made against UP Warriorz last year. She and Danni Wyatt-Hodge took the defending champions off to a flier and killed the game with their opening stand of 107. Mandhana unleashed her strokes at her best, middling almost everything she was hitting. The swashbuckling batter got to her half-century off 27 balls and kept motoring her way until she was caught at short fine-leg. By the time she was dismissed, RCB were almost home at 133, with only nine runs left.
Richa Ghosh and Ellyse Perry had a mini-stand. Ghosh enjoyed her brief outing of 11 as she hit a four and a six. The wicketkeeper batter took her team home with a six off Arundhati Reddy over fine-leg. The victory boosts RCB’s Net run rate. They were already on top of the table and have now consolidated their spot at the top. From +0.869, RCB now have an NRR of +1.440.
The Capitals had earlier huffed and puffed to 141 before getting bowled out with three balls to go.
More to follow…
