DC's date with destiny: Can they finally crack the WPL final?

Delhi Capitals find themselves in a familiar yet uncomfortable position as they walk into their fourth consecutive Women's Premier League final. Consistency has never been their problem, but silverware has remained elusive, with heartbreak defining each of their previous three appearances at this stage.

The route to a fourth final hasn't been easy. They lost three out of their first four games, suffered shocking defeats at the hands of Sophie Devine, and almost collapsed in a must-win game before prevailing to make the Eliminator. In that knockout, they avenged prior defeats with a near-flawless performance. Now, they must pull themselves up for the third time in five days.

Standing in their way are Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a side that knows what it takes to cross the final hurdle. Having already won a championship against the same opponent, RCB arrive with a calmer relationship with the occasion. Despite the absence of Ellyse Perry, RCB had a near-perfect campaign by winning their first five games. A minor blip was followed by a demolition job of UP Warriorz to round off the league stage.

While RCB had the easier route with direct qualification, history hasn't been kind to DC, who were in the same position in the last three editions—a streak the three-time finalists hope continues. When RCB's women lifted the title in 2024, they carried the weight of a long-standing men's hoodoo. Delhi Capitals, still waiting for a first title across both teams, will hope this final is a similar turning point.

When: February 5, 2026 at 7:30 PM IST
Where: BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara
What to expect: Vadodara surfaces have generated middling scores more often than not. DC have had a much better record here this season compared to RCB, and they hope that gives them an advantage. Spinners are expected to have a say.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Pooja Vastrakar's long wait on the sidelines ended in RCB's final league fixture. She wasn't available to bowl and wasn't needed to bat, but RCB might still stick with her as a pure finisher.

Probable XI: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana(c), Georgia Voll, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh(w), Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Lauren Bell

Delhi Capitals
The Capitals are expected to retain their XI from the last game.

Probable XI: Lizelle Lee(w), Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues(c), Marizanne Kapp, Chinelle Henry, Niki Prasad, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma

Key Stats & Notes

• Only once has a target above 160 been chased down in Vadodara this season.
• Grace Harris has a strike rate of 180.95, and Smriti Mandhana is just 10 runs short of 300 this campaign. However, Marizanne Kapp boasts a superior record against both, dismissing them a combined 13 times in T20s.

Quotes

"I'm really happy that everyone had that sort of a break and enjoyed it with each other and came back very fresh. Sometimes sitting in the hotel room can cause overthinking. I'm happy we had that break and RCB took us to Goa."
— Smriti Mandhana, RCB captain

"This year was a lot more hard work. The way the girls stuck together stood out. When things don't go your way, it's easy for a team to scatter. But this team actually came together, and those losses helped us bond a lot more."
— Jemimah Rodrigues, DC captain