Royal Challengers Bengaluru kept their captain Smriti Mandhana for the WPL 2026 season. RCB-W spent ₹3.5 crore making sure she stays with them going forward. Only Ashleigh Gardner and Nat Sciver-Brunt earn as much as her right now.
Smriti Mandhana Stays With RCBW
Royal Challengers Bengaluru didn’t think twice before retaining Smriti Mandhana this year. The WPL team increased her price from ₹3.4 crore to ₹3.5 crore for 2026. She held the record as the most expensive WPL player back in 2023.
RCB bought her for ₹3.4 crore during that inaugural auction three years ago. Now she captains the franchise and carries huge responsibility on her shoulders daily.
The franchise believes Smriti deserves every rupee they’re paying her currently. Her leadership qualities match her batting skills which makes her incredibly valuable here. The WPL team knows she’s the face of their franchise moving forward.
WPL Price and International Records
Smriti Mandhana gets paid ₹3.5 crore because she’s one of cricket’s biggest stars. She bats left-handed and can bowl medium pace if needed during tight games. Her Test numbers read 317 runs from 3 matches at an average of 53.
She made 2,998 ODI runs in 77 games with 135 being her highest score. T20I cricket has seen her pile up 2,682 runs across 109 matches played.
Smriti hit 4,000 T20 runs faster than anyone else had before her. This record alone shows why the franchise always pays her the top amount. RCBW wouldn’t let any other franchise take her away from them ever.
Captain and Match-Winner for the Season
Smriti Mandhana leads Royal Challengers Bengaluru with confidence and composure always on the field. The WPL team trusts her decision-making ability during pressure situations in crucial games. She opens the batting which sets the tone for how RCBW plays each match.
Her attacking style puts bowlers under stress right from the first ball itself. Rivals fear her because she can single-handedly win matches for her team quickly. The next season’s hopes are sky-high given what she earned before this year.
RCBW invested heavily in keeping their captain happy and motivated for upcoming challenges. Smriti remains the most important player in their entire squad without any doubt.
