Navi Mumbai witnessed a thrilling start to the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a dramatic three-wicket victory against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the DY Patil Stadium. The match went down to the wire, with RCB crossing the finish line on the very last ball.
The architect of RCB's victory was undoubtedly Nadine de Klerk, who delivered a stunning all-round performance. She first starred with the ball, picking up 4 crucial wickets for 26 runs to help restrict MI to 154/6. Later, when RCB's chase faltered, de Klerkanchored the innings with an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls, showcasing her composure and power-hitting prowess.
MI, missing the injured Hayley Matthews, opened with Amelia Kerr and G Kamalini. Kerr struggled early on, while Kamalini showed promise before falling to Shreyanka Patil. MI's innings was revived by a strong 82-run partnership between Sajeevan Sajana (45 off 25) and Nicola Carey (40), helping them reach a competitive total of 154/6. Sajana hit seven fours and one six in her innings.
RCB's chase began briskly, but wickets fell at regular intervals. At 65/5, RCB found themselves in a precarious situation. De Klerk then took charge, initially steadying the ship before launching a match-winning assault. With 18 runs needed off the final over, de Klerk displayed remarkable calm, hitting 6, 4, 6 and 4 off the final four balls to seal the victory. RCB needed two runs on the final ball, and she hit a boundary.
Earlier in the evening, prior to the match, a vibrant opening ceremony entertained the near-capacity crowd. Rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh, along with actress Jacqueline Fernandez and Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, set the stage alight with their performances.
The WPL 2026, the fourth season of the Women's Premier League, is being held from January 9 to February 5, 2026. Five teams are participating in a double round-robin format, with the top team progressing directly to the final. The second and third-placed teams will compete in an Eliminator to determine the other finalist. Matches will be held in Navi Mumbai and Baroda.
With this thrilling victory, Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their first points of the season. Nadine de Klerk's all-round brilliance ensured a memorable start to their WPL 2026 campaign.
