WPL 2025: Smriti Mandhana scripts history, becomes only second RCB player to achieve this massive feat

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women skipper Smriti Mandhana played a magnificent innings in the game against Delhi Capitals (DC) women on Monday (17th February). The 4th game of the Women's Premier League (WPL 2025) took place at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. 

Smriti Mandhana played a valuable innings for her and made sure that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) registered their second straight win of the WPL 2025. The opening batter played a sensational innings of 81 runs, leading from the front and helping her team win the match by 8 wickets. 

With her innings, Smriti Mandhana entered her name in record books. With her innings of 81 runs, the opening batter now has the second-highest score by an RCB batter in WPL after 99 runs by Sophie Devine against Gujarat Giants at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai during the 2023 edition of WPL. She also became only the second RCB player to play an innings of over 80 runs. 

Coming to the match, RCB registered their second consecutive win of the WPL 2025 as they beat Delhi Capitals by eight wickets. Asked to bat, Delhi had a horrible start as Shafali Verma bagged a two-ball duck in the first over. After that, skipper Meg Lanning (17) and Jemimah Rodrigues (34) added 59 runs for the second wicket. 

But after that, nothing went their way as Delhi lost wickets at regular intervals, left reeling at 87 for five. Keeper-batter Sarah Bryce (23) played a vital hand that powered her team to a total of 141. For Bengaluru, Renuka Singh and Georgia Wareham bagged three wickets each. 

RCB were off to a flying start with the bat as skipper Smriti Mandhana (81) slammed a solid half-century. The left-hander, along with Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (42), added 107 runs for the opening partnership that almost sealed the game for the defending champions. 

Ellyse Perry (7*) and Rich Ghosh (11*) then made sure they completed the unfinished job and take the team to a second straight win with eight wickets. 

We kept going today and the shots came off today - Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana talked about the win, saying that it was a great effort by her team. She credited her bowlers for her terrific effort, before lavishing rich praise on Danielle Wyatt-Hodge. Speaking after the game, she said: 

"The bowlers did a great job. Restricting them to under 150 was a great thing. Wyatt was brilliant in batting. The strategy was to bowl more pace. This ground never plays the same twice. The way we started was brilliant. As a team, we are proud of our bowlers. 

"Ekta got hit in the first over but came back really well. Me and Danny have batted so many times together. Last game, we were gutted as we couldn't get a good start. We kept going today and the shots came off today."

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