All roads lead to WPL 2026 clash as RCB take on DC in the grand finale

It’s almost time for the big game as RCB gear up for their second WPL final. They will be coming up against a familiar foe, who they vanquished a couple of years ago in the summit clash to clinch their first WPL title. Both the sides have met twice in the tournament so far and both teams have picked up a win each.

RCB won the first battle, courtesy of brilliant bowling and an extraordinary knock from captain Smriti Mandhana. The second duel however, was comfortably pocketed by the Delhi Capitals, courtesy of a magnificent bowling display.

With six wins from eight games in the group stages, RCB sealed a direct spot in the finale while Delhi had a late turnaround of affairs, garnering some serious momentum to qualify for the Eliminator. Eventually, they knocked out second-placed Gujarat Giants in their last contest to book a berth in the grand finale.

For the Royal Challengers, Grace Harris returning to form in the duel against UP Warriorz will be a massive sigh of reprieve. Alongside Harris, Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh being in runs will also be a major catalyst for the Royal Challengers. Their bowling has been solid so far with Nadine de Klerk and Lauren Bell leading the show. Sayali Satghare has complemented Bell perfectly in the set-up with the new ball in her hands.

For Delhi Capitals, Lizelle Lee, Laura Wolvaardt and Shafali Verma have been calling the shots with the bat while Nandani Sharma, Sree Charani and Chinelle Henry have been the pennant-bearers of excellence with the ball in their hands. With the kind of firepower that both sides bring into the mix, one can expect this to be a battle of equally sensational proportions, upping the ante to almost stratospheric levels.

Venue watch:

The track in Vadodara has been all sorts of mix and match. At times, the batters have run away with the games while bowlers have been fairly predominant in the first half of the contests. Dew plays an imperative role in shaping up the fate of the game. When you are batting first, the strokeplay with have to be perfect due to the spongy bounce on offer. The team that will be chasing can expect the surface to relent a bit.

Match details:

Match –Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals

Venue – Vadodara International Cricket Stadium, Kotambi

Date –5th February, 2026

Time – 7:30 PM

Head-to-head:

Matches played - 9

RCB - 3

DC – 6

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru:

Smriti Mandhana (c), Richa Ghosh, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Grace Harris, Gautami Naik, Prathyoosha Kumar, D. Hemalatha

Delhi Capitals:

Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Shafali Verma, Marzianne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry, Shree Charani, Sneh Rana, Lizelle Lee, Deeya Yadav, Taniyaa Bhatia, Mamatha Madiwala, Nandni Sharma, Lucy Hamilton, Minnu Mani, Alana King