Bengaluru, Feb 6 (.) Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women captain Smriti Mandhana revealed that she had predicted a match-winning performance from Georgia Voll in the final, and the call proved spot on as RCB-W clinched their second title in four years.
Mandhana said ‘Volly’ led the way with the bat, especially during the powerplay, and showed the intent and composure needed on the big stage. “I remember telling the girls that Volly will get a match-winning knock in the final,” Mandhana said, calling her effort “special”.
Voll delivered exactly that with a commanding knock of 79 off 54 balls, striking 14 fours and no sixes at a strike rate of 146.30. She was eventually dismissed c Shafali Verma b Minnu Mani, but not before laying the foundation for RCB-W’s title-winning effort.
Reflecting on the contest, the RCB-W skipper felt the surface was a big one and that a total of 204 was a good score. She credited the bowling unit for pulling things back in the closing stages, saying the last four overs were executed particularly well.
Mandhana reserved special praise for Lauren Bell, describing her spell as match-winning. In a high-scoring encounter where over 400 runs were scored, Bell conceded just 20 runs, an effort Mandhana said made a decisive difference.
The captain also acknowledged the role of the support staff and team management in the title run. She said the belief shown in the coaching group had strengthened the team’s confidence and direction.
Mandhana highlighted the hard work put in by the players, especially in the gym, saying it boosted their belief and gave them the confidence to chase down any target.
She concluded by saluting the RCB fan base, calling them the best fans in the world, and said winning two titles in four years was an “amazing” achievement for the franchise.
. . .