WPL 2026: RCB clinch a thrilling victory against Mumbai Indians in the opening match

Navi Mumbai : In the opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Mumbai Indians by three wickets in a thrilling last-ball finish. South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk delivered a sensational performance, hitting an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls (including seven fours and two sixes) to guide RCB to victory. She virtually single-handedly fought the battle and secured a breathtaking win for RCB in the first match.

In the final over, RCB needed 18 runs to win. England star Nat Sciver-Brunt bowled the over. De Klerk failed to score off the first two balls, making Mumbai Indians’ victory seem almost certain. But then the match turned dramatically. De Klerk hit an over-boundary on the third ball, followed by a boundary on the fourth. She struck another over-boundary on the fifth ball and finally hit a boundary off the last delivery to clinch the match for RCB.

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and chose to field first. Batting first, Mumbai Indians scored 154 runs for the loss of six wickets. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur made 20 runs. Sajeevan Sajana was the top scorer with 45 runs, while Nicola Carey scored 40 and G Kamalini added 32. Along with her heroics with the bat, Nadine de Klerk also delivered an outstanding performance with the ball. She picked up four wickets, conceding just 26 runs in her four overs.

In response, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana scored 18 runs, while Richa Ghosh made 6. Arundhati Reddy contributed 20 runs. Although the Indian batters did not manage big scores, RCB faced no difficulty in securing the victory.