The excitement was electric at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) hosted their Unbox Event for the upcoming IPL season. The women’s team, fresh off their victory in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024, received a hero’s welcome upon arrival.
Guard of honour and fan adoration
Led by captain Smriti Mandhana and holding the WPL trophy high, the RCB women’s team entered the stadium to a rousing ovation. Faf du Plessis and the entire men’s team formed a guard of honour, applauding their triumphant counterparts, including the batting maestro Virat Kohli. The women’s team then took a lap of honour, soaking in the cheers and adulation of the crowd. This heartwarming gesture by the men’s team and the fans’ enthusiastic response have gone viral.
RCB men’s team gave guard of honour to the victorious women’s team.
– What a wonderful gesture! ❤️🏆pic.twitter.com/lYXABGGrCg
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 19, 2024
— Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (@Hanji_CricDekho) March 19, 2024
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Celebrating from afar
Smriti didn’t forget her teammates, Ellyse Perry and Sophie Molineux, who were present at the stadium for RCB Unbox Event. In a touching moment, Smriti video-called them from the stadium, ensuring they shared in the victory. Both Perry and Molineux were instrumental in RCB’s WPL success, and their contributions cannot be forgotten.
THEY FACETIMED ELLYSE AND SOPHIE OMGGGG 😭❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/m8ww3zUfGx
— shreya¹ᴰ | #EESAALACUPNAMDU (@93KIWIXCALAMITY) March 19, 2024
Pressure and promise
The Women’s team’s phenomenal achievement undoubtedly raises the bar for the men’s team. As Du Plessis & Co. gear up for their IPL opener against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 22, they face the pressure to emulate the women’s triumph. However, with the women’s team’s victory as inspiration and their fans’ unwavering support, the RCB men’s team has every reason to be optimistic about their IPL campaign.
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