Delhi’s Final Heartbreak Continues as RCB Lift Second Title

AND ANOTHER WPL SEASON ENDS, THAT TOO WITH A BANGER OF A FINAL. RCB chase the formidable total of 203 to become CHAMPIONS for the SECOND TIME. All that remains is heartbreak for DC. Four times they get into the finals and all four times they lose. How can fate be so cruel? Or have MI and RCB ganged up to defeat DC in the final (jkjk).

Its important to address the high scoring intensity of the final. This has been the first final with a 200+ score being made and chased in the same night. The credit must be given to Smriti Mandhana the manner in which she poised her innings with such accuracy and power was spectacular. The 165 run partnership with Georgia Voll was ultimately the key that made this chase look so easy.

Halfway through after DC had posted 203, the odds were slightly stacked towards DC. A 200+ run chase in final, its tough and with the the bowling options of the veteran Marizanne Kapp, Sree Charani, Sneh Rana, and the emerging player Nandini Sharma DC looked all set to defend this total. But alas, fate was never on their side. After Henri took the destructive Grace Harris early on, it was all RCB. From the unwavering amount of 4s and 6s from Voll and Mandhana to the last two overs of drama and tension. Can DC defend it? 27 of 21 to 18 of 12 and 10 of 6. In the end Radha Yadav hit two boundaries to secure RCB's 2nd trophy.

I know I am going upside down(stranger things reference hehe) or reverse but now to DC. Their innings started with a flame from Lee bursting double sixes to Jemimah's continuous 4's (man I love her, her 127* speaks it all) or the power hitting Chinelle Henri's fours and sixes to make it a 200+ total. WOW. It was WOW. Definitely unexpected but its Delhi Capitals expect the unexpected. Also, ya why aren't we talking about Chinelle Henri. Her late flourishes to early wickets in the powerplay made her a powerful asset to DC. God what another super allrounder. And Wolvaardt with her calm and composed 44 hitting boundaries and rotating strike. So how was the upside down?

At the end of the day it wasn't DC bowling badly it was RCB was simply too good to be stopped. They came with the winning intent and as Smriti Mandhana pulled shot after shots from cover drive to the straight drive or the pull shot and Georgia Voll's (who's made 99* against RCB) 79, playing that beatiful pull shot against Sneh Rana. So RCB got their REVENGE from DC getting them all out for 109 on the jan 24th (hehehe).

Now I want to shift the focus to a beautiful cricketer - Jemimah Rodrigues. This woman continues to impress day in and day out. Her debut captaincy in the tata wpl was fantastic. She took DC to another final. Irrespective of the final result she led from the front while batting, had a good match awareness used her bowlers and her resources effectively so I would give her captaincy a 9/10.

Queen Smriti. WHAT HAS SHE NOT DONE? Led two titles, player for the match in the final, orange cap holder and list continues. She stepped as an opener through anchoring the innings with Harris through her 47* or playing the aggressor with her 96 against DC. Beautiful captaincy, beautiful batting (an alliteration - my english teacher would be proud), and beautiful what yes beautiful game awareness.

DC's CURSE. EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. FINAL. NO TROPHY. its sad, very sad, sad (I dont know too many words for sad). Why does it keep happening? I think its not that DC didnt prepare i think its that RCB wanted to say "EE sala cup namdu" again. DC one day they will get over the line. Who knows when? Maybe 18 years? Maybe next year. But one day for sure.

Lastly, its important to note RCB were without the services of Ellyse Perry, the legendary Australian allrounder while DC were without Annabelle Sutherland, the "new ellyse perry". RCB broke the trend of winning eliminator wins the trophy and won. So I guess its just a curse for DC.