Nadine de Klerk has pulled off a Houdini act as Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women have started with a victory in the WPL 2026 opener on Friday (January
9).
At the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, De Klerk played a stellar knock and remained unbeaten for 63 runs to win RCB the match from the jaws of defeat.
6,4,6,4 - De Klerk scored 20 runs in the last four deliveries to give her team a last-ball victory amid a sensational atmosphere. Home team Mumbai Indians got hit by a bolt from the blue as Nadine's herculean knock has started RCB's campaign with a terrific win. Not just with the bat, earlier Nadine had an excellent outing with the ball as well, as she picked up 4 wickets for just 26 runs.
How did Nadine de Klerk pull off a Miracle?
De Klerk went after Nat Sciver-Brunt in the final over of the match as RCB Women required 18 runs to win. She couldn't score a single run in the first two deliveries, but went berserk in the next four. She cleared the fence straight down the ground in the third delivery, then flicked one in the long leg area to find a boundary. The penultimate delivery was met with power as it travelled towards the cow corner for a six. Sciver-Brunt tried to bowl the last one a yorker but the South African got underneath and arrowed it over the bowler's head for a four to secure the victory.
Who is Nadine de Klerk?
Nadine de Klerk is a South African women's cricketer, recognized as a versatile all-rounder who excels in batting finishes and medium-pace bowling. Born in Pretoria in 1999, she initially pursued sports like hockey and javelin before committing to cricket at age 17.
Career Overview
De Klerk debuted in ODIs against India in May 2017 during the South Africa Quadrangular Series and in T20Is in February 2018. Key milestones include captaining South Africa's Emerging Players in 2019, playing in the 2020 and 2024 T20 World Cups, the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and contributing to SA's finals runs in the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 ODI World Cup. She signed with The Blaze for England's domestic season in 2023.
