Harmanpreet Kaur blames dropped catches for MI's WPL opener defeat
What's the story
Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Harmanpreet Kaur has blamed dropped catches for her team's three-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) opener. The defending champions were undone by Nadine de Klerk, who was dropped twice and went on to score an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls. Notably, RCB needed 29 runs off the last two overs to chase down 154 runs at Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Friday.
Missed chances
Harmanpreet acknowledges missed opportunities
Kaur acknowledged that they gave de Klerk multiple chances, which proved costly. "We know she (de Klerk) has that much capacity to score whatever runs are needed in the last over. We just did not bowl one good ball," said Kaur. She added, "This happens. We gave her chances and sometimes, batters come with a strong mindset. We missed those chances."
Match-winning performance
De Klerk's explosive last over
In the final over, needing 18 runs, de Klerk started with a dot ball but then went on an aggressive spree. She hit Nat Sciver-Brunt for a six and a four, followed by another six. The match ended in style with a powerful four straight down the ground off the last ball. "We did everything to win this game but in the last over, if we could've bowled one good ball, we could have won the match," Kaur added.
Player of the match
De Klerk's all-round performance
De Klerk was not just a game-changer with the bat but also with the ball. She took four wickets, including those of Sciver-Brunt, Kaur, Nicola Carey and Sajeevan Sajana. Her all-round performance earned her the Player of the Match award as RCB restricted MI to 154 for six before chasing down the target in a nail-biting finish. MI will look to bounce back against Delhi Capitals on Saturday at Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.