One of the most iconic names from the Indian Premier League is The Royal Challengers Bangalore. This franchise is known for their passionate fanbase and electrifying performances. Over the years RCB has carved a niche for itself in the cricketing world. Then moving ahead for an exceptional move, RCB took a monumental step by establishing its Women’s team as a part of their inaugural Women’s Premier League also referred to as WPL. With this move, RCB led the demonstration of its commitment to promoting women’s cricket and fostering a culture of inclusivity and growth within the sports segment. So, to provide you a gist into the RCB Women Team we have this blog, where we take you through the team, its achievements, and more.
Knowing RCB Women Team
Royal Challengers Bengaluru which was formerly known as Royal Challengers Bangalore, widely recognised as RCB is one of the well-known Indian professional franchises for WPL. The team is owned by United Spirits, they are the ones who also own the men’s team. The team is presently coached by Luke Williams and Captained by Smriti Mandhana. The RCB Women’s Team won the 2nd season of the Women’s Premier League defeating the Delhi Capitals in the finals.
Tracing the History of RCB Women Team
It was in October of 2022, that the BCCI announced its intention to hold a five-team women’s franchise cricket tournament in March 2023. This tournament was then named the Women’s Premier League in January 2023, with investors buying the rights to franchises through a closed bidding process during the same month. Diageo, which owns the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, acquired the rights to one of the franchises.
In February 2023, Ben Sawyer was appointed as the head coach of the team. The first player auction for the WPL took place on 13 February 2023, with Royal Challengers Bangalore securing 18 players for their roster. On 18 February 2023, Smriti Mandhana was named the captain of the squad. The team placed fourth in the group phase of the first tournament. In September 2023, Luke Williams was named the head coach for the 2024 season. The team won three out of their five matches during the Bangalore leg and subsequently won one match from their next three games. Concluding the league phase with four victories, the team advanced to the playoffs.
In the eliminator, the squad triumphed over the reigning champions — Mumbai Indians, to progress to the final. In the final match, they triumphed over Delhi Capitals to secure the title, marking the franchise’s first title in both men’s and women’s leagues. Ellyse Perry and Shreyanka Patil from Royal Challengers Bangalore secured the orange cap and the purple cap, respectively.
The Inaugural Season of RCB Women Team
During the inaugural season of the WPL Women’s Team, both the audience and players were taken through a roller coaster ride. Despite the very high expectations, the team had to face several challenges, including inconsistent performances and adapting to the new league’s dynamics. But even after all these the match and seasons were not without any bright spots. Therefore, here we take you through some of the key highlights of the match:
- Smriti Mandhana’s Leadership: During the match, Smriti had to face some of the major challenges with the bat, and her leadership skills went to the fore. At such times her ability to rally the team and maintain composure in high-pressure situations was highly appreciated.
- Ellyse Perry’s All-Round Brilliance: Perry showed consistent performances with both her batting and balling were pivotal for RCB. At such times her experience and calm demeanor proved highly useful in such a crucial match.
- Richa Ghosh’s Knocks: Richa Ghosh the young wicketkeeper showcased her finishing abilities. She played several impactful innings that turned the tide in RCB’s favour.
- Renuka Singh’s Swings: The match also highlighted that Renuka’s ability to swing the ball both ways troubled many top-order batters, making her a vital asset for the team.
Glimpse Into WPL RCB Women Team 2024
Let’s have a glimpse into the 2024 Women Premier League, or say WPL RCB where the team clinched their maiden title, showcasing exceptional performance and team cohesion. Under the very leadership of captain Smriti Mandhana, the team demonstrated resilience and strategic acumen throughout this exciting tournament & won the WPL 2024. During this match the key contribution was made by players like Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh who were instrumental in securing the championship.
RCB Women Team Players List 2025
As the RCB Women Team has prepared for the upcoming 2025 seasons, the team has announced its retention and release list in November 2024, in this list the team has retained over 14 players.
Retention List
| Smriti Mandhana © Opening Batter Age: 28y 150d Batting: Left-hand Bat Bowling: Right-arm Medium | Danni Wyatt-Hodge Top order Batter Age:33y 237d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Right-arm offbreak |
| Ellyse Perry All-rounder Age: 34y 42d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Right arm Fast medium | Renuka Singh Thakur Bowler Age: 28y 348d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Right arm Medium fast |
| Richa Ghosh All-rounder Age: 34y 42d – Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Right arm Fast medium | Sophie Devine Batting All-rounder Age: 35y 105d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Right arm Medium |
| Sabbhineni Meghana Opening Batter Age: 28y 191d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Right arm Medium | Sophie Molineux Bowler Age: 26y 333d Batting: Left-hand Bat Bowling: Slow Left arm Orthodox |
| Georgia Wareham Bowler Age: 25y 203d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Legbreak | Ekta Bisht Bowler Age: 38y 311d Batting: Left-hand Bat Bowling: Slow Left arm Orthodox |
| Shreyanka Patil All-rounder Age: 22y 137d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Right arm offbreak | Kate Cross Bowler Age: 33y 73d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Right arm Medium fast |
| Asha Sobhan All-rounder Age: 33y 274d Batting: Right-hand Bat Bowling: Legbreak Googly | Kanika Ahuja All-rounder Age: 22y 130d Batting: Left-hand Bat Bowling: Right arm offbreak |
Release List
| Disha Kasat | Shraddha Pokarkar |
| Indrani Roy | Shubha Satheesh |
| Nadine de Klerk | Simran Bahadur |
RCB WPL Auction 2025
| Player | Type | Acquisition | Price |
| Danni Wyatt-Hodge | Overseas | Retained | ₹30 Lakh |
| Sabbhineni Meghana | Indian | Retained | ₹30 Lakh |
| Smriti Mandhana | Indian | Retained | ₹3.40 Lakh |
| Asha Shobana | Indian | Retained | ₹10 Lakh |
| Ellyse Perry | Overseas | Retained | ₹1.70 crore |
| Georgia Wareham | Overseas | Retained | ₹40 Lakh |
| Kanika Ahuja | Indian | Retained | ₹35 Lakhs |
| Shreyanka Patil | Overseas | Retained | ₹10 Lakhs |
| Sophie Devine | Indian | Retained | ₹50 Lakhs |
| Richa Ghosh | Indian | Retained | ₹1.90 crore |
| Renuka Singh | Indian | Retained | ₹1.50 crore |
| Ekta Bisht | Overseas | Retained | ₹60 Lakhs |
| Kate Cross | Overseas | Retained | ₹30 Lakhs |
| Charlie Dean | Overseas | Replacement for Sophie Molineux | NA |
Administration & Support Staff for RCB Women Team
| Position | Name |
| Director of cricket | Mo Bobat |
| Head of team operations | Soumyadeep Pyne |
| Doctor | Dr Harini Muralidharan |
| Head coach | Luke Williams |
| Assistant coach | Malolan Rangarajan |
| Batting coach | RX Murali |
| Fielding coach | Vellaswamy Vanitha |
Looking At RCB WPL 2025 Season
This all-well-rounded squad consists of a blend of experienced internationals and promising domestic talents. The RCB Women’s team is poised to defeat their upcoming title in WPL season 20205, to make their very own RCB trophy. To excel in their endeavour the team has made a strategic planning, both in player retention as well as new acquisition, reflecting their very own commitment to sustaining excellence and fostering a winning culture.
To begin the WPL season 2025, the dates have been announced for February 14, a week later than planned earlier. On that day they are going to host Gujarat Giants with the RCB Women’s Team at the newly built BCA stadium in Vadodara. The first six matches are going to take place in Vadodara, then the tournament will move to Bengaluru for the next eight matches. Then Lucknow will host four games before the last leg in Mumbai, where four games are going to be hosted. The four games would also include the Eliminator on March 14 and the final on March 15 at the CCI Stadium.
The Fan Engagement for RCB Women Team
RCB’s women’s team goes beyond winning matches; it aims to create an environment that empowers and includes everyone. The team has launched many programs to boost women’s cricket and motivate young players.
RCB puts fans first, and this applies to their women’s team too. They run social media campaigns and organize events where fans can meet players making sure their women’s team gets as much attention as the men’s. Fans unite under the team’s bold red and black colors, which have become a source of pride. RCB plays an active role in developing young talent at the grassroots level. They hold talent searches, set up coaching camps, and offer mentoring to find and train the future stars of women’s cricket.
Conclusion
Overall, through this blog, we have covered the basics of our very own RCB Women team, which is just more than simply being a cricket team. They go beyond assembling a star-studded squad to navigating the challenges of the inaugural seasons, the team has shown all the immense promises. With the upcoming new season, the fans as well as the players are thrilled to show an excellent mesmerizing performance.
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