Delhi Capitals’ twisted, nightmarish curse refused to leave them even on a night they posted their highest total in a Women’s Premier League (WPL) match, and the second-highest by any team in a playoff. Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll’s imperious 165-run stand for the second wicket in Vadodara on Thursday helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru chase down 204 with two balls to spare as they reclaimed the WPL title for the second time in their history. For Delhi, it was heartbreak yet again.
Delhi lost by six wickets against RCB in WPL 2026 final
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For the fourth consecutive time, Delhi Capitals suffered defeat in a WPL final. The anguish was evident as captain Jemimah Rodrigues fought back tears and headed straight into the dressing room after the match ended in RCB’s favour. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, long associated with the Delhi franchise, was left stunned into silence as he watched another final slip away.
What made the loss even more painful for Jemimah was her own performance on the night. The skipper rose to the occasion with a scintillating half-century and, alongside the experienced Laura Wolvaardt, found gaps at will to keep RCB under pressure in a 76-run partnership. Chinelle Henry then provided the late flourish, blasting a 15-ball 35 to propel Delhi Capitals to an imposing 203 for four.
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In reply, RCB completed a record chase to join Mumbai Indians as the most successful teams in WPL history.
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In reply, RCB completed a record chase to join Mumbai Indians as the most successful teams in WPL history.
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Delhi did strike early, removing opener Grace Harris to briefly put RCB on the back foot. But Mandhana and Voll rebuilt with authority, driving anything pitched up with ease and pulling and cutting the short balls with control as RCB reached 100 at the halfway mark, still needing 104 from 60 deliveries. The pair continued their dominance until Voll fell to Minnu Mani, offering Delhi a final flicker of hope. RCB, however, held their nerve in the final over to clinch the title.
It marked the fourth time Delhi Capitals have lost a WPL final — by seven wickets to Mumbai Indians in 2023, by eight wickets to RCB in 2024, and by eight runs to Mumbai Indians in 2025 — becoming only the second team in women’s franchise cricket history, after Brisbane Heat, to suffer such a fate.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Jemimah Rodrigues can't hold back tears, Sourav Ganguly stunned into silence as WPL jinx strikes Delhi Capitals again
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