WPL 2024 Final: Smriti Mandhana and Meg Lanning’s sides have hory on the line, but ins on the here and now | Cricket News

The second Women’s Premier League final on Sunday will end a long wait, either way. For starters, neither a Delhi franchise nor Royal Challengers Bangalore have won a title in the Indian Premier League. That will change at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, but it also remains a point of trivia as the teams involved in the title clash have very little to do with that hory. It is the here and now that both Smriti Mandhana and Meg Lanning chose to focus on.
After qualifying for the playoffs, Mandhana came up with a statement that reminded one of David Fincher’s Fight Club. The only goal was to not talk about the goal, she’d say. Before the final, she elaborated: “It was very important for us to not connect anything with the men’s side because it brings a lot of pressure with it. The idea was to focus on what was happening now and not on the 15 years gone with the men’s side. So we’re not really correlating anything that’s happened with the men.”
On the other side of the equation is Meg Lanning. Going the sheer number of trophies she won in international cricket leading Australia, she is arguably the greatest captain the game has seen. But the story has been different in the T20 leagues, where success has eluded her in the WBBL
Smriti Mandhana on the left and Meg Lanning on the right. (Agencies)
In 2023, Lanning’s Delhi Capitals came close to the title but were beaten an all-rounder-heavy Mumbai unit. This season, though, from the word go DC have appeared to be the strongest team on paper. If even 2-3 deliveries had gone their way, they could have gone through the league phase unbeaten, with both defeats coming off the final delivery. The Aussie star, who has led from the front once again, could end a long personal wait for glory away from international cricket but true to form, played it down.
“I don’t think we’ve thought too much about what happened last year. Even the events of this season don’t matter, it’s how you play on the day, preparing, and adapting on your feet. The experience of last year doesn’t drive us in any different way. We don’t feel we need to get one back,” Lanning said.
That is also perhaps why Lanning nodded in overwhelming approval when Mandhana uttered the words ‘a captain is only as good as their team. Both teams have matchwinners in their ranks, but RCB – in their last two wins to reach the final – have been largely dependent on one name: Ellyse Perry. DC on the other hand, have more players in form, fewer holes to be plugged, and better role clarity across the overseas and Indian contingent. Mandhana’s own form will be crucial for RCB’s hopes, and the star batter has struggled in the Delhi leg after lighting up the Chinnaswamy with her fireworks.

Which brings us to a moment from last season. Mandhana couldn’t strike any rhythm with the bat, looking like a shadow of her elegant self. But after the second DC vs RCB match, Lanning walked up to Mandhana post-match and struck up a conversation. The words ‘Are you OK?’ might be simple, but can be powerful for someone going through a rough patch. It moved Mandhana, who said such a loss of form wasn’t something she had ever experienced before in her career.
“That was really cool because sometimes, no matter how much experience you have when you are going through something like that, a conversation with someone who knows so much about batting and has the experience she does helps. It was an amazing thing she did,” Mandhana recalled.
It would make for a fascinating narrative then if Mandhana comes out of her mini-slump on the big night against Lanning’s side. She has admired the Australian ever since she saw a flicked six she hit off a pacer in 2016 on a tour to Australia. But that will all be set aside on Sunday. “We’ll just try and play our best cricket and beat them,” she quipped.
Lanning – joking that she was left with no option after hearing Mandhana’s praise for her than to return the favour – said Mandhana is starting to sound like she’s starting to understand the ins and outs of leadership as well now. “Whenever we came up against India, we always spoke about how to get Smriti out early because we know just how dangerous she can be. She’s a proven matchwinner.”
Often, these press conferences before a final can be ridden with cliches as captains tend to keep things simple, stick to the processes. But Lanning and Mandhana shared laughs, were at ease with mutual admiration and articulated their differing journeys to get here. Come Sunday night though, only one thing will matter: who gets to lead their side to a famous win, a title that two fanbases have been craving.