Vadodara, Feb 6 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru off-spin bowling all-rounder Shreyanka Patil said their Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 triumph was ‘very special’ and dedicated the victory to skipper Smriti Mandhana, citing challenges the skipper faced in the last few months.

RCB’s six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara sealed their second WPL crown, with Smriti’s 87 and Georgia Voll’s 79 forming the backbone of the chase. “Would love to mention three people – number one, Smriti, because she has gone through a lot in the last couple of months. Would love to dedicate this win to her.

“Malo and Anya. Today is Anya’s son’s birthday – first year. And again, Malo – first time he’s the head coach and it’s a special win for all of us,” said Shreyanka to broadcasters after the title win was sealed.

Shreyanka, who returned to the side this season after missing last year due to a shin injury, said the triumph was particularly meaningful. “Very special for me. My comeback WPL season. Couldn’t have asked for more. Lovely crowd here – supported us throughout, no matter what. 200 on the board, but they had that faith and belief in us.

“I thank each and every member who has come out and supported us. Also, the people watching us in Bangalore and Karnataka would like to say big thanks to you guys,” she said.

She added that the positive atmosphere in the dugout had been crucial in chasing down 204. “After the first innings got over, me and Aru (Arundhati Reddy) and I were walking towards the dugout and were like ‘we’re going to pull this off’. We had that very positive environment in the dugout. That’s how the dugout has been throughout the season. We win, we lose, we never stop smiling,” said Shreyanka.

Reflecting on the final moments, Shreyanka admitted she was stunned by the dramatic finish. “I’m still in shock – the last ball, the bails fell, and the ball went to the boundary, and I’m like, what’s happening. Is it a hit wicket, is it a boundary, what should I do? And I’m like ‘Malo, what is it?’ and he was like ‘we won’.”

Left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Radha Yadav, who hit the winning runs, praised the management’s role in supporting the players and preparing them for high-pressure situations. “Everyone is very happy. This team has worked very hard. The management has backed the players and given us whatever we asked for. They’ve actually given us more than we asked for. This win is for them.

“As players, we put in the hard work – sometimes we get the result, sometimes we don’t. But the hard work put in by the management – hats off to them. We used to do situational practice – trying to achieve a certain number of runs in a certain number of balls. Our management helped a lot. Whatever skills we had, how can we improve on those? They backed us to find those ways,” she said.

Radha also said the team had benefited from a short break before the final. ” Can do better. Haven’t played to my potential yet. Will keep working hard, and maybe I’ll win us a World Cup, you never know, we’ll see. We had gone for a little trip. Took time off (in the last few days) and didn’t think about cricket at all.

“Was the management’s decision to give us some time off so that we come back fresh and recharged. (wWheredoes this win rank for you?) My first IPL title. The World Cup is obviously first and above all. This comes second,” she said.

–IANS

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