NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women kicked off their WPL 2026 campaign in some style against Mumbai Indians Women in the opening match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Friday. The match went right down to the final ball and kept fans on the edge of their seats. “It was de Klerk’s night in Navi Mumbai,” the commentator roared as Nadine de Klerk hit the winning boundary.
With two runs needed off the last ball, De Klerk showed great courage. She went for a lofted shot, and it worked perfectly, sealing a three-wicket win for RCB in style.Earlier in the evening, Mumbai Indians were put in to bat after RCB won the toss and chose to bowl. MI struggled to get going at the top. Big names like Amelia Kerr (4) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (4) fell early. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20) tried to steady the innings but could not stay long.The main fight came from Sajeevan Sajana and Nicola Carey. Sajana played an aggressive knock of 45 runs off just 25 balls. Carey added a steady 40 from 29 deliveries. Their partnership powered Mumbai to a fighting total of 154 /6 in 20 overs. For RCB, Nadine de Klerk was the standout bowler as she picked up four wickets and broke the back of the MI batting.Chasing 155, RCB started brightly. Grace Harris attacked from the start with 25 off 12 balls. Smriti Mandhana also looked fluent before getting out early for 18. However, quick wickets in the middle overs put RCB under pressure.That’s when Nadine de Klerk stepped up with the bat. She played with her known bravery, having amassed 63 not out from 44 balls. She found great support from Arundhati Reddy, who added 20 crucial runs. Even after losing a few wickets late, RCB stayed in the chase, thanks to the South African all-rounder. With nerves taking over in the final over, De Klerk held her composure. She finished the match with a bold stroke as RCB went past the target at 157/7 in 20 overs.The win gave Royal Challengers Bengaluru a perfect start to their WPL 2026 journey. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians were left to reflect on missed chances with their sloppy fielding and dropped catches despite a competitive total.
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