Is RCB Currently the Most Dominant Franchise in Indian Cricket?

ByAnupam Pandey,SportsCafe Editor

Today at 4:15 PM

Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been the one common team dominating in Indian cricket. Whether it is the IPL or WPL, the franchise continues to give its best and make it to the finals. In WPL 2026, RCB has now become the first team to reach the finals.

The RCB fans are having a pretty good time over the last few years. They saw their franchise losing several finals, but that sadness disappeared in the last two years. It all started with the franchise winning its first title in the form of WPL 2024. While fans waited for the men's team to win, they didn't have to wait for long.

RCB was also able to win the Indian Premier League for the first time in the 2025 season. And now, it seems that the team stands inches close to its third trophy. Reaching the finals of the Women's Premier League 2026, RCB Women's team now stand close to win their second title, and the third for the franchise.

1. RCB Unleashed Dominance in WPL 2026

As the WPL 2026 began, fans did not have much expectations with the RCB. The major reason behind it was the fact that the team was without Ellyse Perry. She played a vital role for RCB women's team to win their first ever WPL edition. But in her place, the team still had several players who were certified match winners.

With players such as Smriti Mandhana, Lauren Bell, Sayali Satghare, Grace Harris, and more, the team was much stronger than expected. In all of the matches which they played at Navi Mumbai, RCB was able to secure wins. The team started off the season with 5 consecutive wins, which helped them to become the first team to reach the playoffs.

The Vadodara leg didn't have a good start for RCB, as they suffered two consecutive losses. But the team regained its form in the last game against UP Warriorz. Defeating them by 8 wickets, RCB has now become the first team to reach the finals. Moreover, they have reached the finals at such a stage where no other team has qualified for the playoffs.

This shows the unreal dominance of the team. Nadine de Klerk has now taken the Purple cap, leading the wicket-takers chart with 15 wickets in 8 matches. Smriti Mandhana, the captain, stands as their highest run scorer this season, with 290 runs at an average of 48.33.

2. Has the Jinx Ended?

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been one of the oldest franchise teams in India. They started their journey back in the very first edition of the IPL. The team even went through several heartbreaks, losing three finals in the IPL. But their wait finally ended when the Women's team lifted the title.

RCB Women's Win WPL 2024

RCB had an average performance in the league stages of the WPL 2024 season. The team finished at the third spot in the standings with 4 wins in 8 matches. They had to go against Mumbai Indians to reach the finals of the tournament against Delhi Capitals.

In the match against Mumbai Indians, which was also an Eliminator game, RCB came out on top by a margin of just 5 runs. Ellyse Perry received the POTM award for scoring 66 runs and even taking a wicket. Later in the final match, the RCB bowlers were able to get the better out of Delhi's batting line-up.

Pic Source: ESPNcricinfo

Shreyanka Patil took 4 wickets, while Sophie Molineux took 3 which helped to restrict Delhi to just 113 runs. RCB chased down the target with 8 wickets remaining. Ellyse Perry won the Orange Cap as she scored 347 runs in 9 matches. On the other hand, Shreyanka Patil took the Purple cap for taking 13 wickets in the season.

Men's Team End Their Wait

As the Women's team won the first ever title, it somehow motivated the Men's team too. RCB had gone through several changes for the IPL 2025 season. They brought players such as Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and more, who played a crucial role in their win.

RCB had an impressive form in the league stages of the tournament. The team finished at the 2nd spot with 9 wins in 14 matches, which helped them to reach Qualifier 1. They were able to dominate Punjab Kings in this game, winning by 8 wickets to reach the finals after 8 seasons.

Pic Source: ESPNcricinfo

In the final match, they faced Punjab Kings yet again but the situation was more intense. Still, RCB came out on top by 6 runs, winning their first ever IPL title. Virat Kohli, the team's veteran, finished as their highest run scorer with 657 runs in 15 innings, and Josh Hazlewood was the leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets in 12 innings.