The Women’s Premier League has produced four finals since its launch in 2023, and each championship match has added something different to the competition’s growing history. Mumbai Indians won the inaugural final, Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed the trophy in 2024, Mumbai returned to the top in 2025, and RCB won again in 2026.
One team has appeared in every final so far: Delhi Capitals. Despite reaching the championship match four consecutive times, Delhi have finished runners-up on every occasion. Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have shared the four trophies, winning two titles each.
The finals have also developed from relatively controlled contests into increasingly high-scoring encounters. The 2023 final involved a modest target, the 2025 championship was decided by eight runs, while the 2026 final produced a record successful chase of 204.
WPL 2023 Final: Mumbai Indians Create History
The first WPL final took place on March 26, 2023, at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. It was a historic occasion because it would determine the first champion of the newly created women’s franchise competition.
Delhi Capitals entered the final after finishing at the top of the league-stage table. Mumbai Indians had taken the longer route, defeating UP Warriorz in the Eliminator to earn their place in the championship match.
The final therefore brought together two teams that had already demonstrated considerable consistency during the inaugural season.
Delhi won the toss and chose to bat first, but Mumbai’s bowling attack prevented them from building a particularly large total. Delhi finished their 20 overs on 131 for nine.
For a championship match, 131 was a competitive but manageable target. Mumbai needed to maintain control throughout the chase and avoid losing wickets in clusters.
Mumbai’s Successful Chase
Mumbai’s chase was not completely straightforward.
The team lost wickets during the innings, creating moments of uncertainty for the inaugural champions. However, experienced players were able to steady the chase.
Nat Sciver-Brunt played a particularly important role. Her unbeaten 60 helped Mumbai reach 134 for three in 19.3 overs.
Mumbai therefore won the final by seven wickets and became the first WPL champions.
The result established Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians as the first team to lift the trophy and gave the competition its first championship story.
Why the 2023 Final Mattered
The importance of the inaugural final went beyond the scorecard.
The WPL had been created to provide a major professional franchise platform for women’s cricket in India. The final demonstrated that the new competition could produce a genuine championship atmosphere involving established Indian players and international stars.
Mumbai’s victory also gave the league its first benchmark for success.
Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, had already shown that they could consistently compete at the highest level. Their defeat would eventually become the beginning of a remarkable final-history storyline.
WPL 2024 Final: RCB Claim Their First Title
The second WPL final brought another meeting between Delhi Capitals and a different opponent.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru had improved considerably after their first season and reached the final after defeating Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.
Delhi once again finished at the top of the league-stage table, giving them another opportunity to win the championship.
The final was played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
RCB’s appearance represented an important moment for the franchise. After failing to reach the final in 2023, the team had rebuilt effectively and arrived at the championship match one year later.
Delhi’s Second Final Opportunity
Delhi Capitals had already reached the first final and were now back in the title match.
The franchise had developed into one of the strongest teams in the competition, but the trophy remained out of reach.
That made the 2024 final significant for both sides.
Delhi were looking to convert their league-stage consistency into their first championship, while RCB were trying to win the franchise’s first WPL title.
RCB Complete a Comfortable Chase
Delhi batted first but were unable to produce a total that put RCB under sustained pressure.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully chased the target and won by eight wickets.
The victory made RCB the second WPL champions and gave the franchise its first title in the competition.
Smriti Mandhana became the captain of a championship-winning team, adding a major achievement to her growing leadership career.
The final also demonstrated that the WPL could produce a different champion in only its second season.
What Changed After 2024?
RCB’s victory prevented the league from immediately becoming associated with one dominant franchise.
Mumbai had won the inaugural championship, but RCB took the trophy one season later.
The result established a competitive pattern that would continue into 2025 and 2026.
Delhi’s second consecutive final defeat also became a developing storyline.
At this stage, however, few could have predicted that Delhi would eventually reach four straight finals without winning any of them.
WPL 2025 Final: Mumbai Fight Back
The third WPL final brought a familiar matchup.
Mumbai Indians returned to the championship match and faced Delhi Capitals, creating a repeat of the inaugural final.
Mumbai had defeated Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator to reach the final. The official WPL report recorded Mumbai’s 47-run victory over Gujarat after posting 213 for four.
Delhi, meanwhile, had again demonstrated strong league-stage consistency.
The 2025 final therefore presented Mumbai with an opportunity to win their second championship and Delhi with another chance to finally lift the trophy.
Mumbai’s 149-Run Total
Delhi won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Mumbai Indians scored 149 for seven from their 20 overs. Harmanpreet Kaur provided an important contribution with 66, helping Mumbai reach a defendable total despite pressure from the Delhi bowling attack.
A target of 150 meant Delhi needed a controlled chase.
Mumbai’s bowlers, however, were able to keep taking important wickets and prevent Delhi from establishing a match-winning partnership.
Nat Sciver-Brunt Decides the Contest
Nat Sciver-Brunt once again became a major figure in a WPL final.
This time her most important contribution came with the ball. She finished with three wickets for 30 runs, helping Mumbai restrict Delhi.
Delhi ultimately finished eight runs short.
Mumbai Indians won the 2025 final by eight runs and became the first team to win the WPL twice.
The nature of the victory was different from Mumbai’s 2023 championship. Instead of chasing down a relatively modest total, Mumbai had to defend a competitive score under pressure.
Why the 2025 Final Was Significant
The 2025 championship changed the WPL record book.
Mumbai became the first two-time champion, while Delhi suffered their third consecutive final defeat.
The result also demonstrated the value of all-round contributions. Mumbai’s championship campaign featured important performances with both bat and ball.
The final showed that a team did not need an enormous total to win a high-pressure T20 championship match. Bowling execution and composure during the chase were equally important.
WPL 2026 Final: RCB Produce a Record Chase
The fourth WPL final was dramatically different from the first three.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru faced Delhi Capitals at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on February 5, 2026.
RCB had finished at the top of the league stage, while Delhi reached the final through the Eliminator.
For Delhi, the match represented their fourth consecutive final appearance.
For RCB, it was an opportunity to win a second championship after their 2024 success.
The final eventually became the highest-scoring championship match in WPL history.
Delhi Capitals Score 203
Delhi Capitals batted first and produced an enormous total.
They finished on 203 for four from their 20 overs, the highest first-innings score in a WPL final at that time.
Jemimah Rodrigues played a major role, scoring 57 from 37 deliveries.
Laura Wolvaardt added 44 from 25 balls, while Chinelle Henry produced a late burst of 35 not out from only 15 deliveries.
The innings gave Delhi a total that appeared capable of putting enormous pressure on RCB.
The target was 204.
RCB Respond With an Extraordinary Chase
Royal Challengers Bengaluru began their chase with the early dismissal of Grace Harris.
But Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll changed the direction of the match.
The pair produced a remarkable 165-run partnership for the second wicket, the highest partnership in WPL history according to the official tournament report.
Mandhana attacked from the beginning and reached 87 from 41 deliveries.
Voll produced an equally important contribution, scoring 79 from 54 balls.
Their partnership transformed what initially looked like an extremely difficult chase into a realistic possibility.
Mandhana’s Match-Winning Innings
Mandhana’s 87 became one of the defining innings in WPL final history.
She combined boundary hitting with controlled strike rotation, allowing RCB to stay close to the required rate throughout the chase.
The partnership with Voll was particularly important because it prevented Delhi from building sustained pressure after the early wicket.
Mandhana eventually departed, and Voll also fell, creating late tension.
RCB still needed 10 runs from the final over.
The Final Over Drama
With the championship still undecided, Radha Yadav took responsibility during the closing moments.
She hit consecutive boundaries to bring RCB close to victory.
The winning runs came with two deliveries remaining.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished on 204 for four and won the final by six wickets.
The result gave RCB their second WPL championship and made them the second team after Mumbai Indians to win the trophy twice.
Why the 2026 Final Stands Out
The 2026 final changed the statistical history of the WPL.
Delhi’s 203 was the highest first-innings total in a WPL final, while RCB’s successful chase of 204 became the highest successful run chase in WPL history.
The match also demonstrated how quickly modern women’s T20 cricket has developed.
A score above 200 in a championship match would traditionally represent a formidable challenge. RCB’s successful chase showed how aggressive batting, strong partnerships and calculated risk-taking can completely alter the equation.
Four Finals, Four Different Stories
Although Delhi Capitals appeared in every final, each championship match had a different character.
The 2023 final was about establishing the first WPL champion.
The 2024 final introduced RCB as a new champion.
The 2025 final saw Mumbai return to the top through a close eight-run victory.
The 2026 final produced a record chase and RCB’s second title.
This variety has helped give the WPL a distinctive early history.
The Changing Nature of WPL Finals
The progression from 2023 to 2026 also reflects the evolution of women’s T20 cricket.
The first final featured a total of 131 from Delhi.
By 2026, Delhi had scored 203 in a single final and still lost.
That does not mean every WPL match has become a high-scoring contest, but the championship matches demonstrate how quickly batting strategies and player confidence have developed.
Teams are increasingly comfortable attacking from the powerplay and maintaining high scoring rates through the middle overs.
The Importance of All-Round Contributions
The finals also highlight how valuable multi-skilled players have become.
T20 cricket requires teams to maintain balance.
Players who can contribute with both bat and ball give captains additional tactical options, particularly in high-pressure matches.
Mumbai’s 2025 victory illustrated this well, with batting contributions helping establish the total and bowling performances ultimately defending it.
The 2026 final similarly showed the importance of squad depth when RCB lost key batters late in the chase.
Captains Who Defined the First Four Finals
Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana have played particularly important roles in the early WPL championship story.
Harmanpreet led Mumbai Indians to titles in 2023 and 2025.
Mandhana led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to championships in 2024 and 2026.
The alternating success of these two captains has become one of the defining patterns of the league’s first four seasons.
Delhi Capitals’ Unusual Final Record
Delhi’s four consecutive final appearances are one of the most distinctive records in WPL history.
The team has reached the championship match every season since the competition began.
However, they have not yet won a final.
Their defeats came against Mumbai in 2023, RCB in 2024, Mumbai again in 2025 and RCB in 2026.
This record illustrates the difference between consistently reaching the biggest match and successfully finishing the tournament with the trophy.
Mumbai and RCB Share the Early Titles
After four seasons, the championship record is evenly divided.
Mumbai Indians won in 2023 and 2025.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won in 2024 and 2026.
This alternating pattern has created a competitive foundation for future seasons.
It also means the WPL has not yet developed a single franchise that has dominated the championship across multiple consecutive editions.
How the Finals Have Shaped WPL History
The final is more than the last match of a season. It creates the moments that become associated with a tournament.
Mumbai’s inaugural victory established the league’s first champion.
RCB’s 2024 triumph gave the franchise its first WPL title.
Mumbai’s 2025 victory established the first two-time champion.
RCB’s 2026 chase created a record-setting final and gave the league its second two-time champion.
Together, these matches have created the foundation of WPL championship history.
Looking Ahead
The first four finals have created several questions for future editions.
Can Delhi Capitals eventually win their first title after four consecutive final appearances?
Can Mumbai Indians or RCB become the first franchise to win consecutive WPL championships?
Will another team break through and become the league’s third champion?
These questions will form part of the next stage of WPL history.
The first four finals have already shown that the championship picture can change quickly from one season to another.
Final Thoughts
Every WPL final from 2023 to 2026 has contributed a different chapter to the competition’s history.
Mumbai Indians won the inaugural final in 2023, defeating Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. RCB then defeated Delhi by eight wickets in 2024 to claim their first championship. Mumbai returned in 2025 and beat Delhi by eight runs in a much closer final. In 2026, RCB defeated Delhi by six wickets after successfully chasing 204, producing the highest successful chase in WPL history.
The pattern is remarkable: Delhi have reached every final, while Mumbai and RCB have shared all four trophies.
More importantly, the finals demonstrate the rapid development of women’s T20 cricket. From the controlled 2023 contest to the record-breaking 2026 chase, the championship matches have showcased changing batting approaches, tactical development and increasingly confident performances under pressure.
The WPL is still a young competition, but its first four finals have already created a collection of matches that will remain central to its history.
