RCB defeat defending champions MI on last ball in WPL 2026 opener
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 kicked off in style on Friday, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pulling off a thrilling three-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. The match went down to the wire, with RCB chasing down the target of 155 runs on the very last ball of the innings.
MI, who were looking to start their title defense on a strong note, were put in to bat first by RCB captain Smriti Mandhana. The defending champions got off to a solid start, with openers Sajeevan Sajana and Jemimah Rodrigues putting on a 31-run partnership in the first five overs. However, RCB’s Nadine de Klerk struck in the sixth over, dismissing Rodrigues for 15 to give her team the first breakthrough.
Sajana, who was looking in good touch, continued to bat aggressively and took the attack to the RCB bowlers. She smashed a few boundaries and sixes, and was particularly severe on the RCB spinners. However, de Klerk was once again the thorn in MI’s side, dismissing Sajana for 45 off just 25 balls.
MI’s middle order struggled to get going, with de Klerk picking up two more wickets to reduce the defending champions to 113-5 in the 16th over. However, a late surge from MI’s lower order, led by Amanjot Kaur’s 24 off 15 balls, helped the team post a competitive total of 154-6 in their 20 overs.
De Klerk was the star performer for RCB with the ball, finishing with figures of 4-0-24-4. Her spell was instrumental in restricting MI to a manageable total, and gave RCB a chance to chase down the target.
RCB’s chase got off to a rocky start, with MI’s bowlers reducing them to 23-2 in the fourth over. However, de Klerk, who had already made an impact with the ball, walked out to bat and took the game by the scruff of the neck. She was joined by RCB captain Smriti Mandhana, and the two batters put on a 53-run partnership to steady the ship.
Mandhana fell for 24 off 22 balls, but de Klerk continued to bat aggressively, taking the attack to the MI bowlers. She was particularly severe on the spinners, smashing a few sixes and boundaries to keep RCB in the hunt.
As the innings entered its final stages, RCB needed 25 runs off the last three overs. De Klerk, who was now in full flow, took on the MI bowlers and smashed a few boundaries to bring the equation down to 10 runs off the last over.
The last over was a thrilling one, with RCB needing 10 runs to win. De Klerk, who had now reached 63 off 44 balls, took on the MI bowlers and smashed a few runs to bring the equation down to two runs off the last ball. With the crowd on the edge of their seats, de Klerk smashed the last ball to the boundary to give RCB a thrilling three-wicket win.
The win was a significant one for RCB, who had been struggling to find consistency in the previous editions of the WPL. The team’s performance was a testament to their hard work and dedication, and they would be looking to build on this momentum as the tournament progresses.
For MI, the loss was a setback, but they would be looking to bounce back strongly in their next match. The defending champions have a strong squad, and they would be confident of making a comeback in the tournament.
The WPL 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting tournament, with all teams looking to make a strong impression. The next match will be played on Saturday, with Gujarat Giants taking on UP Warriorz at the same venue.
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