Smriti Mandhana gets a roaring reception from fans at Chinnaswamy Stadium during toss of RCB vs MI WPL 2025 clash

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana received a grand reception from fans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the toss of the WPL 2025 match against the Mumbai Indians (MI). After the first six games in Vadodara over the past week, WPL has shifted its base to Bengaluru from Friday (February 21).

RCB and MI are squaring off in the first match of the Bengaluru leg of WPL 2025. MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and opted to bowl first in the contest. After the toss, the crowd extended their support to the home team captain, Smriti Mandhana, with loud cheers as she led them to title victory last season. It brought a hearty smile to Mandhana's face, who paused for a while to soak in the moment.

You can watch the moment in the video below:

"It's good to be back and have this sort of welcome"- Smriti Mandhana on reception of RCB fans

Speaking after losing the toss, Royal Challengers skipper Smriti Mandhana expressed gratitude for the support of the fans and opened up that it motivates the players. She said: (via Cricbuzz)

"It's good to be back and have this sort of welcome. I think it's massive for the team to have fans around, it only motivates us. Whatever we do, we do for them. All the girls are really proud, we have done well in the last two games but we know Cricket is a game where we start from zero and we are charged up."

She continued:

"It looks like a good wicket, Vadodara had a lot of dew but Bangalore won't have much dew. I don't mind batting first here. We are going with the same eleven."

RCB managed to notch up a decent first innings total of 167/7 on the back of a magnificent knock of 81 (43) from star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry. She received some support from Smriti Mandhana (26) and Richa Ghosh (28).