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The Royal Challengers Bengaluru are off to a flying start in their title defence in the Women's Premier League 2025 after mowing down the opposition in their first two games of the season.
The defending champions chased down a record 202-run target in the tournament opener against Gujarat Giants, before breezing past Delhi Capitals in their second match in a paltry 142-run chase.
RCB became the first team in the WPL's history to chase a score in excess of 200 as their batters fired all cylinders against GG. They carried their brilliance into the second match, too. Bengaluru is on top of the WPL 2025 points table with two wins in two matches. They are the only team to remain unbeaten in the tournament's early days.
Can RCB do the unthinkable and defend their WPL crown this year? Let's dive into it and see three key reasons why Smriti Mandhana's girls can clinch back-to-back titles.
1. Smriti Mandhana's red-hot form
One key reason why RCB can defend their WPL crown is due to their talismanic skipper Smriti Mandhana's form. The left-handed opener was named the ODI Player of the Year in 2024 for having an exceptional year with the bat, having scored 747 runs in 13 innings.
She started 2025 with a bang and has continued her Midas touch in the WPL too. Mandhana has scores of 41, 73 and 135 in three ODI matches against Ireland this year and now her career-best 81 in WPL which she made in the game against the Capitals.
Apart from her form, it is good to see Dannielle Wyatt-Hodge also contributing well. She is a replacement for Sophie Devine, who has taken a break from cricket. If both the players stay in form, RCB can surely cross the line.
2. Firepower in the middle
The Bengaluru team has firepower in the middle-order. The presence of Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Kanika Ahuja and Georgia Wareham gives RCB teeth in the middle-order.
Perry's fitness was in doubt ahead of the season as she had sustained a hip injury during the Women's Ashes. She is not bowling for now but is helping the team with the bat, as she did in the 202-run chase when she made 57 from 34 balls.
Ghosh and Kanika have finishing abilities. Ghosh hit 64 from 27 and killed the run-chase against the Giants, while Kanika also slammed a cameo of 30 from 13 in the same match.
3. Renuka Singh leading the bowling attack
Renuka was the Player of the Match in RCB's win over the Delhi Capitals after she picked 3/23 in her four overs to derail the opposition. She took wickets in all three phases and was duly supported by others - Wareham, Kim Garth and Ekta Bisht.
Wareham is in some form too. She picked 3/25 and 3/11 in two T20Is in the Women's Ashes and snared three scalps against Delhi too. Leg-spinner Prema Rawat, who was picked for Rs 1.20 crore at the auction, is a promising talent and has big-hitting skills too.
RCB are surely looking like a well-rounded unit, which is firing in unison. If things stay on track, they might enter dreamland and become the first WPL team to defend their crown.
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