‘Chill maaro’ mantra sets tone ahead of WPL 2026 final as Mandhana, Rodrigues embrace calm under pressure

Letting go — rather than holding on tighter — emerged as the shared theme on the eve of the WPL 2026 final, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana and Delhi Capitals skipper Jemimah Rodrigues spoke about managing pressure in a high-stakes environment.

“Chill maaro” became the buzzword ahead of Thursday night’s final, which will see Mandhana and Rodrigues — best friends off the field — lead opposing sides in a WPL final for the second time in three seasons.

Delhi Capitals have taken the longer route to the summit clash, and Rodrigues will have played three matches in five days by the time she takes the field. But amid the physical and mental demands, the DC captain revealed how stepping away from overthinking helped her rediscover fluency with the bat.

“I think I was doing one thing — I was trying way too hard,” Rodrigues said. “In the last two games, I just let go. I backed myself, didn’t even go and practice because I was practicing so hard, trying to hit every ball perfectly.

“I remembered an interview I heard — it’s like a butterfly. The more desperate you are, the further it goes away. But the more you let go, it comes and sits on your shoulder.”

That mindset paid off in Tuesday’s Eliminator, where Rodrigues struck a composed 41 off 23 balls. While animated in the field, she batted with calm clarity — a product, she said, of switching off rather than obsessing over perfection.

Mandhana, meanwhile, spoke about the value of stepping away from the game. RCB earned a direct entry into the final and used the break to unwind in Goa, where players were given freedom to relax in their own ways — from beach time and golf to dancing and socialising.

“It was very important,” Mandhana said. “Six days of thinking about cricket — who’s going to come, what’s going to happen — can be a lot. Going away for the first two or three days really helped us reset.

“But then coming back on February 2nd, 3rd and 4th and practicing extremely hard was just as important. Sometimes sitting in a hotel room and doing nothing can cause overthinking. This break helped us come back fresh.”

For Rodrigues, DC’s journey to the final has been shaped by resilience. With their final two group-stage games turning into must-win encounters, she said the team’s character stood out.

“This year was a lot more hard work,” she said. “But when things don’t go your way, it’s very easy for a team to scatter. Instead, we came together. Those losses actually helped us bond more.

“I’m very proud of the character the girls have shown — and hats off to our support staff for creating that environment.”

Mandhana also reserved praise for RCB head coach Malolan Rangarajan, who took over from title-winning coach Luke Williams. Having worked closely with Rangarajan since his stint as assistant coach and head of scouting, Mandhana highlighted the calm influence he brings to the group.

“When we were 40 for 4, he was sitting the same way as when we were 180 for 2,” she said. “He talks the same way, stays the same way. A lot of girls have really enjoyed working with him and taken on the calmness he brings.

“Sometimes we don’t even need to talk — we just understand each other now.”

Rodrigues, reflecting on her journey since India’s World Cup triumph, described the last few months as a period of significant growth — particularly as captain.

“I’ve grown the most in the last three to four months,” she said. “Captaincy helped me think less about myself and more about the team, which took pressure off my own game.

“Now everything is done — the preparation, the planning. Tomorrow is about pulling back, staying calm, and reacting instinctively as a captain and as a batter.”

As the WPL 2026 final looms, both captains appear aligned on one thing: in the biggest moments, calm — not control — may be the key.