[Watch] Virat Kohli and Co. give Smriti Mandhana-led RCB women guard of honour following WPL 2024 win

RCB men’s team gave Smriti Mandhana-led RCB women’s team guard of honour at the RCB Unbox event.

During the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) flagship event, the RCB unbox, held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday (March 19), RCB men’s team, including Virat Kohli, expressed their appreciation for their women’s team, who emerged as champions of the Women’s Premier League 2024 (WPL 2024). This heartfelt tribute took the form of a guard of honor extended to the WPL-winning team.

Led by Smriti Mandhana, the victorious team proudly wore special ‘WPL Champions 2024’ jerseys as they were warmly welcomed onto the M Chinnaswamy Stadium by the men’s team, which included Kohli, skipper Faf Du Plessis, and star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.

Watch the video here:

We have the trophyWe have the streets We have/had the greatest cricketers Show me better team than RCB i will da my account for forever. pic.twitter.com/7rog5byHPp

— Kevin (@imkevin149) March 19, 2024

RCB’s victory in the 2024 WPL represents a significant milestone, marking their first-ever trophy since the franchise’s inception in 2008. Despite being one of the founding member franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL), RCB had yet to clinch the coveted title. They had reached the IPL finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016 but fell short each time. However, Mandhana & Co. turned the tide by defeating the Delhi Capitals in the final, securing victory by eight wickets with three balls to spare at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Prior to this, they had ousted defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in a thrilling eliminator match.

RCB’s triumph in the 2024 WPL marks a remarkable turnaround from their forgettable inaugural season in 2023 when they finished second last on the table with just two wins in eight games. The Mandhana-led team had initially struggled, losing their first five matches in the competition.

Kohli’s gesture of presenting them with a guard of honor is just one example of his support for the team. Last year, he visited their team hotel to deliver a motivational speech, a gesture that was widely appreciated. Following their victory, Kohli promptly congratulated the team and even engaged in a video call with them shortly after the final concluded on Sunday.

Since 2008, Kohli has been the iconic figurehead of the franchise, maintaining his association with them. He was acquired by the Bengaluru-based franchise during the U-19 draft preceding the inaugural IPL season and has remained with them ever since. Notably, Kohli holds the distinction of being the only player to have participated in all 16 seasons of the IPL for the same franchise.

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