RCB defeat defending champions MI on last ball in WPL 2026 opener
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 kicked off in thrilling fashion on Friday, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pulling off a stunning 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 155-run target on the very last ball of the innings.
MI, who won the toss and chose to bat, got off to a solid start with their openers, Sajeevan Sajana and Jintimani Kalita, putting on a 45-run partnership in just 5.1 overs. However, RCB’s Nadine de Klerk struck in the sixth over, dismissing Kalita for 15(14) and triggering a mini-collapse. De Klerk went on to pick up three more wickets, finishing with impressive figures of 4-1-25-4.
Despite the loss of wickets, Sajana continued to bat aggressively, smashing 45(25) with the help of six fours and a six. Her innings was the highlight of MI’s batting effort, and she was well-supported by Harmanpreet Kaur, who chipped in with 24(20). MI eventually finished their 20 overs at 154-6, a total that seemed competitive at the time.
RCB’s chase got off to a rocky start, with opener Smriti Mandhana falling for a duck in the first over. However, De Klerk, who had already made an impact with the ball, walked out to bat at number three and took the game by the scruff of the neck. She was joined by Kanika Ahuja, and the two batters added 64 runs for the third wicket, taking RCB to 74-2 in 10 overs.
The required run rate was always under control, but RCB suffered a setback when Ahuja fell for 26(23) in the 12th over. De Klerk, however, continued to bat with assurance, finding able support from Richa Ghosh, who chipped in with 17(15). As the innings entered its final stretch, RCB needed 31 runs from the last three overs, with De Klerk and Ghosh at the crease.
The 18th over, bowled by MI’s Amanjot Kaur, proved to be a game-changer, with RCB picking up 15 runs to bring the equation down to 16 runs from two overs. De Klerk, who had been batting responsibly till then, decided to take the attack to the MI bowlers, smashing a six and a four in the 19th over to leave RCB needing just two runs from the final over.
The last over, bowled by MI’s Saika Ishaque, was a nail-biter, with RCB managing to score just one run from the first five balls. De Klerk, who had been batting on 63(43), faced the final ball, which was a full toss outside off stump. She smashed it to the cover boundary, sparking wild celebrations in the RCB camp.
De Klerk’s unbeaten 63(44) was the highlight of RCB’s chase, and her all-round performance earned her the Player of the Match award. RCB’s win was a significant one, as it marked their first victory over MI in the WPL. The defending champions, on the other hand, will look to regroup and come back stronger in their next match.
The WPL 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting tournament, with all five teams looking evenly matched. RCB’s win over MI has set the tone for the rest of the league, and fans can expect plenty of thrilling matches in the days to come. For now, RCB will bask in the glory of their hard-fought win, while MI will look to learn from their mistakes and come back stronger.
As the tournament progresses, we can expect to see plenty of exciting performances from the world’s top women cricketers. The WPL has already shown that it is a platform for emerging talent to shine, and we can expect to see plenty of new faces making a mark in the tournament.
In conclusion, RCB’s win over MI was a thrilling start to the WPL 2026, and it sets the tone for an exciting tournament. With all five teams looking evenly matched, fans can expect plenty of nail-biting finishes and thrilling performances from the world’s top women cricketers.
About the Author
