Navi Mumbai, 10 January (Sports Desk)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) by 3 wickets in a thrilling last-ball finish in the opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, played on January 9, 2026, at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
This was a dramatic, high-stakes contest that swung multiple times, with Nadine de Klerk delivering an all-round masterclass to earn the Player of the Match award.
Match Summary
- Toss: RCB won and elected to bowl first.
- Mumbai Indians innings: 154/6 in 20 overs.
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru innings: 157/7 in 20 overs.
- Result: RCB won by 3 wickets (on the final ball).
Key Performances
Nadine de Klerk (RCB) was the undisputed star:
- With the ball: 4/26 in 4 overs — she dismantled MI’s middle order, including key wickets like Nat Sciver-Brunt (stumped), Harmanpreet Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana (45), and Nicola Carey (40).
- With the bat: Unbeaten 63 off 44 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes) — she single-handedly rescued RCB from a precarious 65/5, adding a crucial 52-run stand with Arundhati Reddy (20 off 25). In the final over (needing 18 runs), she smashed 20 off the last four balls (6, 4, 6, 4) to seal the win against Nat Sciver-Brunt.
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For MI:
- Sajeevan Sajana: 45 off 25 balls (lucky but explosive, dropped twice early).
- Nicola Carey (WPL debut): 40 off 29 balls — anchored a vital 82-run 5th-wicket partnership with Sajana to lift MI from 67/4.
- Bowling highlights: Amelia Kerr (2/13), Nicola Carey (2 wickets), and others kept RCB in check during the middle overs.
RCB’s top order collapsed dramatically (from 40/0 to 65/5), losing Smriti Mandhana, Grace Harris (quick start), Richa Ghosh, Radha Yadav, and others cheaply. But de Klerk’s composure, supported by Prema Rawat’s late cameos (8* off few balls), turned the tide.
Final Over Drama
Needing 18 off 6 balls (3 wickets in hand), de Klerk survived dropped catches and a missed run-out in the 19th over. In the 20th (bowled by Nat Sciver-Brunt), she started with dots but exploded: six over deep mid-wicket, four down the ground, another massive six, and a final boundary to long-off to win it!
This victory gave RCB a perfect start to the season against the defending champions MI, and de Klerk’s performance (50+ and 4-fer) echoed her big moments from the 2025 Women’s World Cup.
