The Women’s Head Association in India is currently the world’s second-most significant women’s sports association after WNBA women’s basketball in the US
The curtain descended on the second version of the Women’s Head Association (WPL) with the Royal Challengers Bangalore doing what their famous men’s group have neglected to do by lifting the prize in New Delhi on Sunday.
The RCB brought home their lady championship after their spinners restricted Delhi Capitals to 113, setting the stage for an eight-wicket triumph with just three balls to spare.
Chasing a modest aggregate, Bangalore started slowly and endured the loss of openers Sophie Devine (32) and captain Smriti Mandhana (31) preceding Ellyse Perry (35 not out) and Richa Ghosh (17 not out) drove them to triumph in the final over.
Delhi captain Meg Lanning won the toss and chose to bat, the same decision she made last year when her group lost the final of the inaugural version to Mumbai Indians.
Shafali Verma (44) and Lanning (23) started well with a blistering 64-run opening stand in seven overs before Sophie Molineux (3-20) put the stops on their accuse of three wickets in four balls.
Sobhana Asha (2-14) and Shreyanka Patil (4-12) then, at that point, contributed with wickets at customary intervals to tidy up the center request and tail as Delhi collapsed and were dismissed for 113 in 18.3 overs.
Delhi’s Shikha Pandey (1-11) and Minnu Mani (1-12) had some success in containing Bangalore’s run rate in the first 12 overs, however Perry and Ghosh regained the force in the last five overs, to ensure triumph.
“The feeling has not sunk in yet, perhaps it will require investment. Difficult for me to emerge with a great deal of expression. Just thing I need to say is I’m glad for the bundle,” said RCB skipper Mandhana.
“We have experienced ups and downs however they have stuck at it, and the manner in which we have moved beyond the line (this evening), it was amazing.”
India’s star opener says just a World Cup win would be in front of RCB’s win in her list of achievements.
“For them to have this prize, it is amazing for them. I’m by all accounts not the only one who has won the prize, the group has won. For RCB as a franchise to win, it is extremely special. This win is definitely one of the best five perhaps. A World Cup (win) would top it,” she said.
The second version of the WPL, which reached a conclusion with the RCB franchise ending their prize dry season before 37,000 spectators in Sunday’s final, was a resounding success.
The opposition has rapidly fabricated a fan base independent of the more established Indian Chief Association, and decisively boosted the earning force of women cricketers.
“The nature of cricket is excellent. The energy we are seeing on the field is excellent,” Delhi fan Srishti Kumar said. “It’s an extraordinary initiative.”
Bangalore were the startling finalists after a restricted five-run win over champions Mumbai Indians in Friday’s eliminator, bouncing back from their fourth spot finish in the first season.
The WPL was first staged last year as a curtain-raiser for the IPL and has previously demonstrated a clean worker for the nation’s cash-rich cricket board.
Franchise rights were unloaded last January for $572.5 million, while media rights for the first five seasons were sold to Viacom18 for $116.7 million.
The two deals made the WPL the world’s second-most significant women’s sports association after WNBA women’s basketball in the US.
Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland bested the most ongoing player closeout last December when Delhi enlisted her for $240,000.
All-design India captain Harmanpreet Kaur drove Mumbai to triumph in the inaugural season with a seven-wicket win over Delhi in March 2023.
Match crowds have developed steadily for the second version.
“You can check the notoriety of women’s cricket by the way that in the first season they were giving out tickets free of charge,” Bangalore fan Asif Chaudhary, 34, told AFP outside the stadium.
“In any case, this time you can’t get tickets, regardless of whether you need to get them.”