Daijiworld Media Network – Vadodara
Vadodara, Feb 5: Asked during the pre-match press conference if there was a defining moment when things began to turn around for her and Delhi Capitals after a difficult start to the season, captain Jemimah Rodrigues broke into a smile.
Glancing towards Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper and long-time friend Smriti Mandhana seated beside her, Rodrigues whispered, “Should I say it?”
“No!” Mandhana shot back, and the room erupted in laughter.
Whatever that shared secret may be, it once again underlined the deep bond between two of Indian women’s cricket’s most recognisable faces — a friendship that will briefly be put on hold when Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru face off in the Women’s Premier League final on Thursday.
Rodrigues and Mandhana have leaned on each other through highs and lows over the years. After her match-winning century against Australia in the World Cup semifinal, Rodrigues had spoken emotionally about how Mandhana’s presence during net sessions lifted her spirits during a phase when she was briefly dropped from the Indian side. More recently, when Mandhana’s wedding was called off, Rodrigues stayed back with her instead of returning to Australia for the Women’s Big Bash League.
Come the big final, however, sentiment will take a back seat.
Mandhana’s solidity at the top of the order has been the bedrock of RCB’s dominant league campaign, while Rodrigues’ return to form has powered DC’s run to the final through a tougher, longer route.
Mandhana knows what it takes to finish the job. Leading RCB to their long-awaited T20 league title in 2024, she famously declared “Ee Sala Cup Namdu”, ending years of heartbreak for the franchise. Since then, RCB’s men’s team has also gone on to lift the IPL trophy.
The fourth edition of the WPL has seen RCB dominate the league phase, winning five matches on the trot at the start to seal an early playoff berth. Though there were a couple of stumbles later, they finished strong with a convincing win over UP Warriorz.
Rodrigues, meanwhile, has been part of finals before — but never as captain. In the previous three seasons, DC topped the league table every time under Meg Lanning, only to fall short in the final. Taking over from the Australian great, Rodrigues admitted she initially struggled to find her rhythm as both leader and batter.
“I was trying way too hard,” she said after her player-of-the-match performance against Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator. “In the last two games, I just let go. I backed myself and didn’t even practise because I was practising too hard, trying to get everything perfect. Then I remembered an interview — it’s like a butterfly. The more desperate you are, the further it goes away. But when you let go, it comes and sits on your shoulder.”
Delhi enter the final battle-hardened, having played three high-pressure matches within a week, while RCB have had a week’s break since their last outing. To avoid overthinking, the RCB players took a short trip to Goa to unwind.
“I’m really happy everyone got that break and came back fresh,” Mandhana said. “Sometimes just sitting in the hotel room can cause a lot of over-thinking.”
While the break may help RCB mentally, history offers a cautionary tale — DC arrived “cold” in last year’s final and paid the price.
On paper, the two sides appear evenly matched. RCB hit the ground running this season, while DC took time to settle into their processes. Both teams boast match-winners across departments.
On Thursday night, only one of the ‘Wrong Sisters’ — the affectionate moniker for Mandhana and Rodrigues — will lift the trophy. The other, as always, will be cheering from the sidelines.