Royal Challengers Bengaluru kicked off the 2026 Women’s Premier League with a memorable three-wicket victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians on Friday, producing a finish that set the tone for the season. In a contest that swung repeatedly, RCB held their nerve in the decisive moments, leaning on a remarkable all-round performance from Nadine de Klerk to pull off a chase that looked increasingly unlikely deep into the game.
After winning the toss and opting to field, RCB struck early to keep Mumbai under pressure through most of the innings. The opening over of the tournament set the mood, with Lauren Bell bowling a maiden as Amelia Kerr failed to get off the mark. Although Gunalan Kamalini responded by taking 10 runs off Linsey Smith
in the second over, Mumbai struggled to build sustained momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals.
Kerr’s difficult stay at the crease ended in the fifth over when Bell was rewarded for her discipline. Nat Sciver-Brunt did not last long either, dismissed by de Klerk in the seventh over as Mumbai slipped to 35 for 2. Kamalini continued to fight, but her 32 ended on the final ball of the 10th over when she dragged a Shreyanka Patil delivery onto the stumps, leaving Mumbai 63 for 3 at the halfway mark.
Big Hits
Mumbai’s innings found fresh life through Sajeevan Sajana, who produced an aggressive 45 off just 25 balls. She attacked the RCB bowlers with intent, striking seven fours and a six to shift the momentum at a crucial stage. Her counterpunching effort was complemented by Nicola Carey, who played a steadier hand during their fifth-wicket partnership.
Together, Sajana and Carey added 82 runs, rescuing Mumbai from a precarious position of 67 for 4 in the 11th over. The stand transformed what looked like a below-par total into a competitive 154 for 6, giving the defending champions something to defend. Carey eventually finished with 40, while Sajana’s late flourish ensured Mumbai crossed the 150-run mark despite a stuttering start.
For RCB, de Klerk was the standout with the ball, finishing with figures of 4 for 26 and consistently breaking partnerships. Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil chipped in with a wicket each, ensuring Mumbai were never allowed to fully dominate the innings.
RCB’s response with the bat began in emphatic fashion. Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris set the tone by taking on the Mumbai attack early, hitting boundaries off Nat Sciver-Brunt and Shabnim Ismail in the opening overs. The third over proved particularly expensive for Mumbai as the opening pair plundered 20 runs off Nicola Carey, racing RCB to 47 for 2 inside five overs.
Turning Points
Just as RCB appeared to be cruising, the match swung dramatically. Mandhana, who had looked in good touch, was dismissed in the fourth over after a tight spell from Shabnim Ismail, while Harris followed soon after, falling to Sciver-Brunt in the next over. Those two wickets triggered a collapse that shifted momentum sharply.
RCB slid from 47 for 2 to 65 for 5 in the space of 2.4 overs, losing Dayalan Hemalatha, Richa Ghosh and Radha Yadav in quick succession. At the halfway stage of the chase, RCB were 75 for 5, needing 80 runs from the final 10 overs with the pressure firmly on the batting side.
De Klerk, however, refused to let the chase slip away. She anchored the innings with composure, rotating the strike and finding boundaries when needed, even as wickets continued to fall at the other end. Arundhati Reddy provided her with the most meaningful support, scoring 20 to keep RCB in the hunt during the middle overs.
The match built towards a tense finale, with RCB reaching 137 for 7 and needing 18 runs from the final over. What followed was a stunning display of calm under pressure from de Klerk. She struck a six and a four off the third and fourth deliveries, reducing the equation to eight runs from two balls. A six off the penultimate delivery swung the balance decisively, before she sealed the game with a four off the last ball from Nat Sciver-Brunt.
RCB eventually finished on 157 for 7, with Prema Rawat unbeaten on 8 at the non-striker’s end, as de Klerk raised her bat for a match-winning 63 not out off 44 balls. The result not only handed RCB a dramatic opening-night win but also underlined de Klerk’s influence with both bat and ball, making it a performance that will be remembered as one of the defining moments of the WPL’s early history.
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