The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 came to a thrilling conclusion on March 17 (Sunday), with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) emerging as the champions. Led by Smriti Mandhana, RCB defeated Meg Lanning's Delhi Capitals (DC) in the tournament's second edition, claiming the coveted cup. This triumph signifies a significant milestone for Smriti Mandhana and her team, as it marks the Bangalore-based franchise's inaugural title victory in both the Women's Premier League and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
RCB's spinners showcased their skills, staging a strong comeback after an initial onslaught by DC's captain Lanning and opener Shafali Verma in the first innings. Sophie Molineux's pivotal three-wicket over in the eighth over, dismissing Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Alice Capsey, shifted momentum in RCB's favour. Shreyanka Patil further dented DC's batting lineup by dismissing Lanning in the 11th over. With Asha Sobhana also contributing two wickets and Patil impressively securing figures of 4/12, RCB restricted DC to 113 runs in 18.3 overs.
Despite having wickets in hand, RCB faced pressure from DC's bowlers. However, stellar performances from Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh helped RCB maintain composure and secure victory with three balls to spare and eight wickets in hand, clinching the prized trophy.
All-Round Performance From RCB
Alongside securing the WPL 2024 title, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) also garnered individual accolades. Ellyse Perry was awarded the Orange Cap for scoring the highest number of runs in the tournament, while the emerging off-spinner Shreyanka claimed the Purple Cap for taking the most wickets. Remarkably, this marks the first instance in the collective history of the IPL and WPL where a team has clinched the championship while its players have secured both the Orange and Purple Caps.
List Of Awards And Prize Money
Winners: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), awarded INR 6 crore
Runners-up: Delhi Capitals (DC), awarded INR 3 crore
Orange Cap: Ellyse Perry (RCB), awarded INR 5 lakh
Purple Cap: Shreyanka Patil (RCB), awarded INR 5 lakh
Most Valuable Player of the Season: Deepti Sharma (UPW), awarded INR 5 lakh
Emerging Player of the Season: Shreyanka Patil (RCB), awarded INR 5 lakh
Powerful Striker of the Season: Georgia Wareham (RCB), awarded INR 5 lakh
Most Sixes of the Season: Shafali Verma (DC), awarded INR 5 lakh
Best Catch of the Season: S Sajana (MI), awarded INR 5 lakh
Player of the Final: Sophie Molineux (RCB), awarded INR 2.5 lakh
Powerful Striker of the Final: Shafali Verma (DC), awarded INR 1 lakh
Fair Play Award: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)