RCB defeat defending champions MI on last ball in WPL 2026 opener
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 got off to a thrilling start on Friday, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeating defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) by three wickets in a nail-biting encounter at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Sports Academy. The match went down to the wire, with RCB chasing the 155-run target on the last ball of the innings.
MI, who were put in to bat first by RCB captain Smriti Mandhana, got off to a solid start. Openers Sajeevan Sajana and Hayley Matthews laid the foundation for a big total, with Sajana scoring 45 runs off just 25 balls. However, the RCB bowlers fought back, with Nadine de Klerk picking up four wickets to restrict MI to 154-6 in their 20 overs.
De Klerk, who was the star of the show for RCB, finished with impressive figures of 4-0-24-4. Her spell was instrumental in pegging back MI’s scoring rate, and her wickets included the crucial scalps of Sajana and Matthews. The rest of the RCB bowlers also chipped in with wickets, with Shreyanka Patil and Renuka Singh picking up one wicket each.
In reply, RCB got off to a shaky start, losing two wickets in the first over. However, De Klerk, who was promoted to bat at number four, played a match-winning innings to guide RCB home. She smashed 63 runs off just 44 balls, including seven fours and two sixes, to take RCB to the brink of victory.
De Klerk was well-supported by RCB captain Smriti Mandhana, who scored 24 runs off 22 balls. The two batsmen added 44 runs for the fourth wicket, which proved to be the decisive partnership of the match. Although Mandhana fell with RCB still needing 30 runs to win, De Klerk remained calm and saw her team home.
The last over of the match was a thrilling one, with RCB needing 10 runs to win. De Klerk hit a four off the first ball, and then took a single off the next ball to bring the equation down to five runs off three balls. The next two balls were dots, but De Klerk hit a six off the last ball to seal the win for RCB.
The victory was a significant one for RCB, who were playing their first match in the WPL. The team, which is led by Mandhana and coached by Ben Sawyer, will be looking to build on this momentum as they take on the other teams in the tournament.
For MI, the defeat was a setback, but they will be looking to bounce back in their next match. The team, which is led by Harmanpreet Kaur and coached by Charlotte Edwards, has a strong squad and will be looking to defend their title.
The WPL 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting tournament, with several teams looking strong. The tournament features five teams – RCB, MI, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, and UP Warriorz – and will be played over the next few weeks. The matches will be played at the DY Patil Sports Academy and the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
In conclusion, the WPL 2026 got off to a thrilling start, with RCB defeating defending champions MI by three wickets in a nail-biting encounter. The match was a great advertisement for women’s cricket, with both teams playing some exciting cricket. RCB will be looking to build on this momentum, while MI will be looking to bounce back in their next match.
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