If there have been any lingering whispers about Smriti Mandhana faltering on the most important stage, they had been emphatically put to relaxation within the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 final. Battling a extreme bout of flu, Mandhana produced one of many most interesting innings of her profession, main Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB to their second WPL title with a scintillating 87 off simply 41 balls.
Chasing a frightening goal of 204 in opposition to Delhi Capitals (DC) in Vadodara, Mandhana’s composure and managed aggression proved decisive, as RCB sealed the ultimate with a six-wicket victory.
RCB coach reveals Smriti Mandhana performed regardless of extreme sickness
RCB head coach Malolan Rangarajan later revealed the extent of Mandhana’s battle, describing it as a “large, large flu.” Talking after the triumph, Rangarajan stated the captain had been affected by a excessive fever however by no means as soon as let it present.
“She was critically unwell,” Rangarajan defined. “However she turned up and didn’t present it for even one second. After I spoke to her earlier, she simply stated there was no drawback and that she’d be there. That’s her work ethic.”
The revelation solely added to the magnitude of Mandhana’s innings, which got here underneath immense stress on the grandest stage of the season.
A masterclass in chasing underneath stress
Even by Mandhana’s lofty requirements, the ultimate was a lesson in find out how to tempo a high-stakes chase. She started cautiously, enjoying second fiddle to Australian batter Georgia Voll, earlier than dramatically shifting gears after the powerplay.
On the finish of the fifth over, Mandhana was simply 6 off 5 balls. What adopted was sheer dominance. She dismantled Delhi’s spin assault with surgical precision, exploiting angles and area placements with ease. As RCB’s solely left-handed batter, Mandhana focused left-arm spinner Sree Charani, neutralising a bowler who had been extremely efficient all through the Vadodara leg.
Her means to ship related deliveries to completely different components of the bottom left the opposition scrambling for solutions.
Delhi Capitals bowlers run out of solutions
Skilled campaigner Sneh Rana additionally struggled to comprise Mandhana, who appeared in full management. RCB struck no less than one boundary in each over, underlining the relentless stress utilized through the chase.
Mandhana’s confidence was summed up by her audacious stroke play – backing away to loft spinners inside out and casually stepping throughout her stumps to search out gaps at will. She ended the match because the main run-scorer, amassing 377 runs in WPL 2026.
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“Smriti saved certainly one of her greatest innings for the ultimate”: RCB coach
Rangarajan credited Mandhana’s preparation and evolving mindset for her closing heroics. He famous that her unbeaten 54 in opposition to UP Warriorz (UPW) within the closing league sport marked a turning level, mixing excessive tempo with consistency.
“She saved certainly one of her greatest innings for the ultimate,” Rangarajan stated. “She seemed utterly in management, figuring out precisely the place and when to assault.”
Behind the scenes, Mandhana’s relentless pursuit of enchancment stood out. Described as a “nerd” about her batting, she consistently tweaks her method, all the time trying to find marginal features. That focus to element, coupled with calm management, set the tone for RCB’s title-winning marketing campaign.
Additionally READ: AB de Villiers, Ashwin and others in awe as Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll drive RCB to 2nd WPL triumph
This text was first printed at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times firm.
