Smriti Mandhana channels mayhem into magnificence to leave lasting imprint on RCB
Smriti Mandhana (Source: BCCI/WPL)
Published - 06 Feb 2026, 11:17 AM• Read time - 3 mins
Smriti Mandhana has always carried elegance in her batting. This season, she carried something heavier: expectation and scrutiny that stemmed from a personal setback that unfolded following India's maiden Women's World Cup triumph. Yet when the spotlight returned to the WPL, she responded the only way true greats do: by turning pain into performance.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s second WPL title did not just belong to the franchise. It also belonged to Mandhana. She defined RCB's title-winning run.
In a final where Delhi Capitals threatened to run away with the game after posting 203 batting first, Mandhana produced an innings that will sit among the finest in the league’s four-year-long history, a blistering 87 off 41, laced with 12 fours and three sixes, struck at a staggering 212.19.
What stood out the most was that she overcame a "massive flu," as confirmed by the RCB head coach, Malolan Rangarajan, to take the team over the line, and also refused to be fazed by the pressure of the scoreboard.
She finished the tournament as the highest run‑getter: 377 runs in nine games, averaging 53.85, striking at 153.25. Numbers that don’t just tell a story, they command respect. But what makes this season extraordinary is what lies beneath the surface.
A few weeks before the start of the WPL, Mandhana had been forced to address a deeply personal moment at a time when the country was celebrating India’s historic World Cup win. Amid the euphoria, she issued a dignified statement confirming that her wedding to music composer Palash Muchhal had been called off.
The ceremony, originally set for November 23, had already been postponed due to her father’s hospitalisation. Then came the finality through her own voice.
“I am a very private person… the wedding is called off,” she wrote on Instagram, asking for space, dignity, and closure. No drama. No details. Just clarity and composure.
And then she walked back onto the field and delivered the most dominant season of her career.
If RCB in the IPL are synonymous with Virat Kohli, his aura, his aggression, his identity, then Mandhana is now carving out her own imprint on the WPL side. This title wasn’t just a trophy; it is a cultural shift. She has become the face, the heartbeat, and the competitive edge of the women’s franchise.
🎥 𝙍𝘼𝙒 𝙀𝙈𝙊𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎, ft. Champions @RCBTweets ❤️
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 6, 2026
From nerve-wracking final few moments to the sweet taste of a 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 🏆
The reactions say it all 🥳#TATAWPL | #ClaimTheCrown | #RCBvDC | #Final pic.twitter.com/NyysOIvruI
The parallels are unmistakable: Kohli shaped the men’s team with personality and presence; Mandhana is doing the same, but with a calm, steely authority that is entirely her own.
Her leadership this season was decisive. Her batting was ruthless. And her response to personal adversity was not public. It was powerful.
Mandhana didn’t let the setback define her. She chose to move forward, and she did so with a clarity that translated into runs, results, and a championship. She authored a rebirth of herself, of her team that had endured a forgettable last season, and of what leadership looks like in the women’s game.
In her statement confirming the cancellation of the wedding, she had said, “It’s time to move forward.” This season, she didn’t just move forward. She took RCB with her.
