

The Women's Premier League 2026 season kicked off with a dramatic contest as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru registered a sensational three-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in the opening match on Friday at Navi Mumbai. Chasing a target of 155, RCB reached 157/7 in 20 overs to start their title defence on a winning note.
Batting first after RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana opted to bowl, Mumbai Indians posted 154/6. Sajeevan Sajana top-scored with a brisk 45 off 25 balls, while Nicola Carey contributed 40 off 29 and G Kamalini added 32 off 28 balls. The Mumbai batters accelerated well in the death overs, but RCB bowlers kept the target within reach, with Nadine de Klerk picking up four wickets and Shreyanka Patil and Lauren Bell claiming one wicket each.
In reply, RCB found themselves in deep trouble at 65/5 before Nadine de Klerk played a heroic knock to turn the match around. Needing 20 runs in the final over, de Klerk smashed two sixes and two fours to seal a memorable win for Bengaluru, delivering one of the most thrilling finishes in WPL history.













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