DC vs RCB Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2025 match?
Last year's Women's Premier League (WPL) final was a fascinating affair. The Delhi Capitals (DC) crumbled in spectacular fashion on the big stage, falling at the final hurdle for the second year in a row. Meg Lanning and the other Capitals were in tears, while the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) reached a high they never experienced before in franchise cricket.
In WPL 2025, DC and RCB will meet for the first time on Monday, February 17. Both teams are already off the mark, winning their respective opening encounters in tense circumstances to signal their early intent. However, both the Capitals and the Royal Challengers didn't play their best cricket in those matches and will aim to turn the screw.
RCB, significantly hampered by injuries, are without the entirety of their first-choice spin attack. Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana and Sophie Molineux will miss the tournament in a big blow, but their impressive squad depth means that they are still able to field a competitive playing XI.
DC had a couple of concerns of their own in their first game of WPL 2025. Marizanne Kapp missed out due to illness, and they went in with just three overseas players (and Sarah Bryce as an Associate player). If Kapp is fit for the RCB clash, that will be a big boost for Delhi.
Delhi Capitals Squad: Shafali Verma, Meg Lanning (c), Alice Capsey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Arundhati Reddy, Minnu Mani, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Jess Jonassen, Sarah Bryce, Titas Sadhu, Sneha Deepthi, Nandini Kashyap, Niki Prasad, Nallapureddy Charani.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Smriti Mandhana (c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Sabbhineni Meghana, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Renuka Thakur Singh, Ekta Bisht, Heather Graham, Sophie Molineux, Sneh Rana, Jagravi Pawar, Nuzhat Parween, Joshitha VJ.
Which team will continue their winning momentum? And which side will taste defeat for the first time in WPL 2025?
WPL 2025: DC and RCB look to sustain winning momentum
The Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara has produced sporting wickets so far. Unlike many of the other teams, DC aren't too reliant on spin, with the likes of Shikha Pandey and Arundhati Reddy beefing up their pace attack. Kapp's potential return could also aid them in batting-friendly conditions.
RCB, meanwhile, have plenty of firepower in the batting unit. Ellyse Perry isn't fit to bowl, but she's still as reliable as ever with the bat. Once Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge join the party, the Royal Challengers will be able to scale down any total even without Sophie Devine.
As far as Match 4 of WPL 2025 goes, DC are in a slightly better position. They have more solidity and experience in the bowling unit, and key players like Shafali Verma and Annabel Sutherland are in excellent form right now. RCB, on the other hand, are still ironing out the problems caused by their player absences.
These are two evenly matched-teams, and the toss will play a big role in this encounter. All three WPL 2025 matches so far have been won by the chasing team, with dew playing a role in making batting easier in the second innings. There's also been a bit more grip and turn up front.
Taking the toss out of the equation, Delhi's superior balance and bowling firepower should give them a marginal edge, although Bengaluru will very much be in the game as well.
Prediction: DC to win Match 4 of WPL 2025.