Royal Challengers Bengaluru are back on the field less than 24 hours after registering their third straight victory in the WPL, leaving them little time to recover. However, with momentum firmly on their side, the Smriti Mandhana-led unit will be eager to extend their winning streak to four when they take on Delhi Capitals in the final WPL match at Navi Mumbai. A win would further strengthen RCB’s early grip on the top of the points table.
RCB’s campaign so far has featured contrasting challenges. A dramatic last-ball win over Mumbai Indians was followed by a dominant display against UP Warriorz, before Gujarat Giants tested them severely. Reduced to 43/4 in their last outing, RCB staged an impressive recovery, aided by Radha Yadav’s promotion to No. 5 finally paying dividends. While the middle order has stepped up, RCB will be hoping for stronger contributions from the top, especially from captain Mandhana, who has endured a couple of quiet outings. Their bowling attack, meanwhile, has been a consistent strength, with Lauren Bell, Shreyanka Patil, and Nadine de Klerk sharing the bulk of wickets across the three matches.
Delhi Capitals come into this contest after a short break, having finally opened their account for the season. A heavy defeat to Mumbai Indians was followed by a narrow four-run loss to Gujarat Giants, before a last-ball win against UP Warriorz gave their campaign some momentum. Lizelle Lee has provided explosive starts, while Shafali Verma showed signs of form with a gritty 36 after two low scores. New skipper Jemimah Rodrigues is yet to make a significant contribution and will be keen to do so. With the ball, Marizanne Kapp has been effective in restricting runs, Nandni Sharma has impressed as a wicket-taker in her debut WPL season, and Shafali’s part-time bowling proved valuable in the previous match—something DC will look to build on through another collective effort.
Match Details
When: Saturday, January 17 at 7:30 PM IST
Where: Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai
What to Expect:
Teams chasing have found greater success at this venue, winning five of the nine matches played so far, including Mumbai Indians’ record chase of 193—the highest total this season. That trend was briefly broken when RCB successfully defended 182 against Gujarat Giants, the first such instance in five games at DY Patil. The pitch generally offers good value for shots early on before slowing down, making totals above 170 highly competitive. Captains may still prefer to chase.
Team News
Delhi Capitals:
Having fielded the same XI in all three matches so far, DC are expected to continue with an unchanged lineup.
Probable XI:
Lizelle Lee (wk), Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Chinelle Henry, Marizanne Kapp, Sneh Rana, Niki Prasad, Minnu Mani, Nandni Sharma, Shree Charani
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Linsey Smith is yet to make an impact, having gone wicketless and proving expensive. RCB may consider bringing in an additional specialist batter like Georgia Voll, who can also contribute with the ball, though a change is not guaranteed.
Probable XI:
Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (c), Dayalan Hemalatha, Gautami Naik, Richa Ghosh (wk), Radha Yadav, Nadine de Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Linsey Smith / Georgia Voll, Lauren Bell
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