Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Tips & Preview - Fairytale Finish In Sight For RCB As The Capitals Look To Avoid Sorrow For A Second Successive Season

By Nikhil Kalro

16 Mar 2024

Nikhil Kalro 16 Mar 2024

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The WPL final on Sunday features RCB and Capitals, both looking for their first-ever title.
RCB, known for their bowling strength, might have pulled off a miracle, whilst Capitals confidently dominate with their batting prowess.
Despite Capitals' form, don't count out RCB - they've defied odds this season with surprise wins.

Royal Challengers Bangalore's Sobhana Asha (R) celebrates with team mates (Getty Images)

On Sunday, we will have a new WPL winner. Two teams that have been in the IPL since 2008 will now have a shot at winning their first-ever title in cricket.

RCB discover a bowling attack
Capitals - A batting unit in rip-roaring form
Tips and Predictions

Delhi Capitals will be playing in front of their home fans, RCB have shown their brand of cricket can attract the neutrals. On Friday, during the Eliminator, a majority of the 27,000 fans were on their side. This makes Sunday's final a tantalizing prospect.

This is the Capitals' second straight WPL final. They’ve got there both times by finishing top of the table. RCB finished fourth out of five teams last year but are in red-hot form, having beaten defending champions Mumbai Indians in back-to-back games to make it this far.

It’s, therefore, a contest of two equals.

RCB Discover A Bowling Attack

For large parts of their eliminator, RCB seemed behind the curve ball. They recovered from 49 for 4 in the 10th over to post 135. This was achieved largely due to Ellyse Perry’s late acceleration that brought her a second half-century of the season. Yet, her 50-ball 66 only seemed par.

With one of the side boundaries at 47 meters, RCB needed to get the make-up of their bowling right. Perry aside, none of their other two seam options - Renuka Singh and Sophie Devine - bowled more than one over apiece. They turned to spin, and it proved right.

Between them, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham and Shreyanka Patil picked up 4 for 69 off 12 overs. Yet boiled down to Mumbai needing 20 off 18 with seven wickets in hand. Mumbai, don’t lose from there. Harmanpreet Kaur fell, and Mumbai went from cruise control to full-blown turbulence.

Tasked to defend six off the final ball, Asha held her nerve. She deceived Amelia Kerr in flight. The edge rolled to short third. They managed just one run. RCB had pulled off a heist.

The Capitals - A Batting Unit In Rip-Roaring Form

Meg Lanning has hit 308 runs, the second-most in the competition. Shafali Verma is coming off a bruising 37-ball 71 in their final league game against Gujarat Giants. Jemimah Rodrigues has scored two match-turning half-centuries and a 38* in three of her last four innings, all as a finisher.

In general, there’s an air of intimidation around their batting line-up, a confidence that no total is big enough to be chased down. This scary prospect gives the Capitals a massive edge. Where RCB have been edgy and scrappy with the bat, Capitals have been dominating and clinical.

Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Tips & Prediction

Ellyse Perry is the GOAT. Pick her as your fantasy captain. Radha Yadav, an underrated left-arm spinner can be one of your bowling trump cards. Sophie Molineux and Asha Shobana could be your value picks. Capitals look the team to beat, but RCB has defied perception and logic at different stages. They may well nick this one.