Delhi Capitals will look to banish the demons of the 2024 final when it takes on defending champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Kotambi International Stadium here on Monday.
Both teams are coming off contrasting wins – Delhi secured a final-ball victory against Mumbai Indians, while Bengaluru dominated in a 200-plus run chase against Gujarat Giants.
With the runner-up scar still fresh in the Delhi camp, the Meg Lanning-led team will hope to rally past a Bengaluru side brimming with confidence.
RCB’s title defence got off to a strong start after it recorded the highest-ever successful chase in the tournament opener. The Bengaluru middle-order kept abreast of the mounting run rate after both openers, Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge fell early.
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While Ellyse Perry’s fifty put Bengaluru in control of the chase, Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja stitched a crucial partnership to guide the team past the finish line.
However, Delhi saw its openers get off the mark and the middle-order fumble in the 165-run chase. Shafali Verma and Lanning dominated at the top, but a collapse dragged the match to a thrilling last-ball finish, which eventually went Delhi’s way.
Debutant Niki Prasad’s 33-ball 35 was a positive takeaway alongside the performance of Delhi’s bowling unit. Annabel Sutherland’s three-wicket haul and Shikha Pandey and Minnu Mani’s economic spells helped limit the target.
But Bengaluru’s already depleted bowling strength received another blow after Shreyanka Patil was ruled out of the tournament. Shreyanka, the highest wicket-taker of 2024, is the sixth player RCB has lost after Asha Sobhana, Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux and Kate Cross.
With the title holder playing only one more game in Vadodara before heading to its home base, it will look to finish with back-to-back wins. The head-to-head record favours the Capitals (4-1), but the flashback of last year’s summit clash could haunt them.