Published: Jan 09, 2026, 11:47 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 09, 2026, 11:47 PM (IST)
Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Mumbai Indians by 3 wickets in the WPL 2026 opener at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Nadine de Klerk’s match-winning innings of 63 off 44 balls turned the game around as RCB chased down a target of 155.
Batting first, Mumbai Indians had a shaky start, losing 4 wickets for just 67 runs. Amelia Kerr was dismissed for 4 off 15 balls, followed by quick wickets of Nat Sciver-Brunt, Gunalan Kamalini, and Harmanpreet Kaur.
The middle order, however, fought back. Sajeevan Sajana scored 45 off 25 balls, including 7 fours and 1 six, while Nicola Carey added 40 off 29. Their partnership helped Mumbai reach a total of 154/6 in 20 overs.
Royal Challengers Bangalore bowlers played a key role in restricting Mumbai. Nadine de Klerk took 4 wickets for 26 runs in her 4 overs, while Lauren Bell bowled exceptionally, conceding only 14 runs in 4 overs with 19 dot balls and 1 wicket. Shreyanka Patil also claimed a wicket.
Chasing 155, RCB began well as Grace Harris and captain Smriti Mandhana put together 40 runs for the first wicket in just 3.5 overs. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving RCB at 121/7 and the match hanging in the balance.
At this crucial juncture, Nadine de Klerk played a sensational innings, scoring 63 runs off 44 balls, hitting 7 fours and 2 sixes. She, along with Prema Rawat, guided RCB to victory.
RCB needed 29 runs from the last two overs. Nadine de Klerk and Prema Rawat scored 11 in the 19th over and 18 in the final over, securing a dramatic 3-wicket win for RCB.
