'Would be a Fantastic Double': After RCB Become WPL Champions, Vijay Mallya Has a Message for the Men's Team

Royal Challengers Bangalore have finally won a silverware courtesy their women’s cricket team’s title win in the WPL 2024. RCB, led by Smriti Mandhana, defeated title favourites Delhi Capitals on Sunday night to become the champions.

This is the first time in RCB history that they have won a trophy since coming into existence when the IPL was launched in 2008. Since then, their men’s cricket team has thrice finished as runners-up in IPL and once made it to the final of now defunct Champions League T20.

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RCB’s former owner Vijay Mallya congratulated the women’s team for the successful season and expressed his desire to now see the men’s complete the double by winning the upcoming IPL 2024.

“Heartiest congratulations to the RCB Women’s Team for winning the WPL. It would be a fantastic double if the RCB Men’s Team won the IPL which is long overdue. Good Luck,” Mallya posted on X (formerly Twitter).

WPL was launched last year and RCB endured a horror start to their campaign as they lost their first five matches and finished fourth on the standings.

However, this year, they produced a vastly improved show in the league stage to finish third and qualify for the Eliminator where they defeated inaugural champions Mumbai Indians.

In the final, they got the better of Delhi Capitals, a team that topped the league stage with six wins and two defeats. DC thus suffered a second straight defeat in a WPL final having also finished top of the points table in WPL 2023.

“One thing I’ll say is I’m proud of the bunch,” Mandhana said on JioCinema after RCB’s win on Sunday. “Our Bangalore leg was really good. We came to Delhi and had two tough losses. That’s what we spoke about that we need to step up at the right time. These tournaments are about peaking at the right time. Last year taught us a lot of things. What went wrong, what went right.”