Despite an early morning commitment, I could not help but stay awake (with benefit of hingsight no regrets) to watch my Favourite Brand in Action – “Royal Challengers Bengaluru” Be it men or women team, the brand has a loyal fan following, the largest one for any club in the league. Nothing to do with playing on Home ground which they did not in WPL2026. The icing on the cake was the result that I always pray for. When RCB (WPL) won the title in 2024, it ended a 17 year wait for the franchise (including both men and women) to lift the 1st cup and immediately following this RCB men’s team lifted the maiden title too.
But this post is not about the earlier victories but what happened last night and the lessons we can learn from it.
With 5 consecutive victories and 1st team to make the play-off’s, Eee Sala Cup Namdu wasn’t just a slogan this time. It was an inevitability. And then a minor blip losing 2 matches when just a victory would have ensured direct entry into finals. Neverthless it happened when it mattered the most. A convincing victory over UPW with Captain leading the way.
Twelve months ago, the jokes were the only thing louder than the cheers. We all know the narrative: “Great on paper, heartbreak on grass.” For seventeen years, that was the script. That was exorcised in the previous season when Smriti Mandhana’s side lifted the trophy and took that victory lap. But last night, as the RCB Women lifted their second consecutive WPL trophy, they didn’t just win a tournament; they permanently killed a ghost – erasing the narrative on being Paper Tigers and Popularity only off the field.
For years, the joke was that RCB lived on vibes and hope, but as Smriti Mandhana walked out to the middle last night after an early loss of Grace Harris, you could see something had shifted. This wasn’t the Smriti of the old, nor was it RCB of old. She simply dismantled the bowling hitting a crisp 87 (2nd time she missed out on a definite maiden century) while navigating the weight of huge expectations of largest fanbase, and her game screamed that resilience isn’t loud. It’s the quiet confidence of someone who has spent the last year refining their craft in the shadows. Smriti didn’t just play for the Orange Cap (which eventually she won with 377 runs added to her kitty) – she played like a leader who knew that winning once is a feat, but winning twice is a statement.
The real magic, however, happened in those middle overs. When the required rate climbed, Georgia Voll didn’t flinch. She proved to me that success is a relay race. A leader can set the pace, but you need a team that trusts the process enough to carry the baton through the exhaustion. They didn’t panic, they put on 165 runs in quick time, as if they had a blueprint (I doubt, if they had any other than the mental blueprint that said WIN).
They had turned their 2024 win from a lucky break into a repeatable system of excellence proven by the fact that RCB(WPL) became the first Team in the history of WPL, where that Table Topper lifted the Championship trophy.
Not to forget, friendly and affable looking Lauren Bell – who conceded below 20 runs in her quota of overs, when over 400 runs were scored in the match. She bowled like a champion throughout. Heartening feature was 5 different Players won the Player of the Match awards for RCB, which is a testimony to this victory being a truly team effort. Each match threw up a new star who put their hands up to perform.
Watching them celebrate under the stadium lights, I realized that their back-to-back dominance isn’t just about talent. It’s a masterclass in shifting a losing culture and making Victory, their second nature. In the first season, the pressure of the brand seemed to weigh them down. Every mistake felt like a confirmation of the old curse. But something changed in the way Smriti and the team approached the game this season. The team stopped playing “not to lose” and started playing like they owned the ground. They traded the desperation for a calm, clinical edge that looked more like an elite machine than a struggling underdog.
When success, especially the one that repeats, isn’t a fluke. It’s what happens when you stop listening to the noise of the past and start focusing on the discipline of the present. They proved that the “Choker” label is only permanent if you choose to wear it. When the winning runs via a boundary was hit (even that was filled with drama, a suspected hit-wicket, replays confirmed it was Keeper Lee’s gloves tipping the bails inadvertently) it wasn’t just about a trophy. It was a masterclass in proving that character is built in the comeback. From being the league’s underdogs to becoming its first true dynasty, the RCB Women showed us that if you fix your culture, the results eventually take care of themselves. If you want to change the result, you have to change the identity first. RCB Girls did exactly that.
Finally, tipping my hat to Leader par excellence, Smriti Mandhana. She entered this tournament facing immense personal challenges and scrutiny. Instead of letting it derail her, she channeled it into her best-ever season, bagging the Orange Cap. Salutes, Smriti – You just lived up to what True leadership is about – showing up when it’s hardest. Your team drew strength from your persistence, not from your perfection.
Footnote
What I still don’t appreciate is 2nd class treatment of WPL which is equally a money spinner for BCCI. What else explains a final played bang in the middle of a week whereas the whole International schedule is drawn out contingent on IPL Schedule – Finals definitely is on a Sunday. Hope this is remedied soon and the WPL gets its rightful recognition at par with IPL.