RCB's Gautami Naik slams her maiden WPL fifty: Details
What's the story
Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Gautami Naik played a brilliant knock against Gujarat Giants in the 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) match in Vadodara on Monday. The match saw a disappointing performance from RCB's top-order batters. Grace Harris and Georgia Voll, the two overseas players, could only manage a run each. However, Naik's brilliant knock of 73 runs off 55 balls helped RCB post a total of 178/6. This was her maiden fifty in the league.
Player performances
Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh's contributions
RCB were reeling at 9/2 when Naik arrived to bat. She took the innings forward with a 60-run stand with RCB's captain, Smriti Mandhana, who made 26 runs. Naik added another 69 runs with Richa Ghosh, who managed 27 runs. While Naik was watchful early on, she played some fine shots later on to complete her half-century off 44 balls. Ashleigh Gardner eventually trapped her in the 18th over.
Information
Maiden fifty for Naik
Naik hammered seven fours and a six en route to her 73 runs off 55 balls. She was dismissed for nine in her only other innings this season. Notably, the ongoing tournament marked Naik's WPL debut. The 27-year-old uncapped batter has indeed made an early mark.
Quick knock
Radha Yadav's brief but impactful innings
RCB's Radha Yadav, who scored 17 runs off eight balls, played some fine shots toward the end as her side went past 170. Though Ashleigh Gardner and Kashvee Gautam took two wickets each, they were expensive in their spells. Renuka Singh was the best bowler for Gujarat Giants, giving away just 23 runs while picking up one wicket in her four-over spell.