RCB stun MI in WPL 2026 opener: Report and stats
What's the story
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Mumbai Indians by 3 wickets in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 opener on Friday. MI posted a score of 154/6 in 20 overs with Nadine de Klerk shining for RCB with a four-fer. In response, MI had the contest under wraps before de Klerk's unbeaten fifty saw RCB claim an improbable victory off the final ball. Here's more.
Summary
MI's innings summary
MI saw Amelia Kerr struggling upfront before she perished. G Kamalini and Harmanpreet Kaur added 28 runs for the 3rd wicket before both batters perished in quick succession leaving their side reeling at 67/4. An 82-run stand between Nicola Carey and Sajeevan Sajana helped MI before de Klerk's two wickets in the 20th over spoiled MI's party. De Klerk claimed 4/26 from 4 overs.
RCB
RCB Women complete a superb chase
In response, RCB Women started well before losing their way to be pegged back at 65/5. A 52-run stand for the 6th wicket between de Klerk and Arundhati Reddy brought RCB Women hope. MI hit back, reducing their opponents to 121/7. However, de Klerk's explosive knock changed the complexion. She smashed 20 runs in the final over and won the contest for her side.
Four-fer
De Klerk attains these feats with maiden WPL four-fer
Playing just her 2nd WPL match, de Klerk now owns six scalps at 10.26. She claimed her maiden four-fer. As per ESPNcricinfo, she is the fourth RCB Women bowler with four-plus wickets in a WPL match. She joined Ellyse Perry, Asha Shobhana and Shreyanka Patil (2). She is also the 2nd RCB Women bowler with 4-plus wickets in a match against MI after Perry.
Duo
All-rounder Carey shines on her WPL debut; Sajana impresses
Carey scored 40 runs off 29 balls for MI. She slammed four fours. With the ball, Carey picked two wickets on her WPL debut. She managed 2/35 from her four overs. Meanwhile, Sajana was MI's top-scorer with a 25-ball 45. She hammered 7 fours and a six. In 20 WPL games, she has raced to 183 runs at 20.33. She hit her career-best score.
Information
De Klerk hits a superb unbeaten 63
De Klerk stood tall with a knock of 63* from 44 balls. She smashed 7 fours and 2 sixes, striking at 143.18. As per ESPNcricinfo, de Klerk is now the third RCB batter with a fifty against MI, joining Perry (2) and Smriti Mandhana (1).
Do you know?
2nd player in WPL history with this record
As per Cricbuzz, de Klerk is now the 2nd player in WPL to clock 50+ runs & four+ wickets in a WPL match since Deepti Sharma 59 & 4/19 UPW vs DC, Delhi, 2024.
Records
Notable records made in the contest
As per Cricbuzz, the target of 18 runs achieved by RCB is the second-most in the final over of a WPL game, only behind 19 by UPW vs GG in Navi Mumbai, 2023. RCB are the 3rd side in WPL history to claim a last-ball win by the chasing side. De Klerk now owns the highest WPL score while batting at 6 or lower.
Do you know?
Kerr becomes highest wicket-taker in WPL
Kerr claimed 2/13 for MI. With this effort, she is now the highest wicket-taker in WPL, surpassing Hayley Matthews (41). Kerr has picked 42 wickets from 30 WPL matches at 17.35.