RCB Start WPL 2026 Campaign with Nail-Biting Victory

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) kicked off their WPL 2026 campaign with a thrilling last-ball victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians, thanks to a magnificent unbeaten 63 from 44 balls by South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk. The match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai witnessed dramatic momentum swings, unconventional team selections, and individual brilliance that ultimately saw RCB chase down 155 with three wickets in hand.

Unconventional Team Selection

RCB's victory was achieved despite—or perhaps because of—some bold selection decisions that raised eyebrows. The team opted for a bowling-heavy lineup, leaving hard-hitting batter Georgia Voll on the bench and promoting bowling all-rounder Radha Yadav to number four in the batting order. This move backfired initially when Radha fell for a golden duck to Amelia Kerr's googly, triggering a collapse that saw RCB slip to 65 for 5.

RCB head coach Malolan Rangarajan defended the unconventional approach: "It was a selection call [to not play Georgia Voll]. It was the combination we wanted to go in with. Historically, if you saw RCB ever since 2024, we've always had an overseas spinner in our line-up, and we believe that's the way we'd like to line up."

He further explained the reasoning behind Radha Yadav's promotion: "If you see even where we batted Radha, it's not something that's just happened one day prior. Radha bats for India A at number 4 and 5. Radha bats for Baroda at 4 and 5. So, we're seeing how well we can combine our players."

De Klerk's Match-Winning Innings

With RCB in trouble at 65 for 5, the chase seemed to be slipping away. However, Nadine de Klerk had other plans. The South African all-rounder, who had bailed her national team out of similar situations during the recent World Cup, played a calculated innings that mixed caution with aggression at crucial moments.

De Klerk enjoyed her share of luck—dropped thrice and surviving a run-out opportunity—but made the most of her reprieves. When the equation came down to 8 runs per over in the last four overs, she shifted gears spectacularly. In the final over, with the match on the line, she muscled two sixes and two boundaries to seal a memorable victory.

Mumbai Indians' Uncharacteristic Struggle

The match represented a rare failure for Mumbai Indians' formidable top order. In the absence of Hayley Matthews, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury, the defending champions struggled against the swinging ball. Amelia Kerr, opening in Matthews' place, took 11 balls to get off the mark and eventually fell for 13. Nat Sciver-Brunt was stumped for just 5, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur managed 20 before departing.

The combined total of Mumbai's veteran trio—Kerr, Sciver-Brunt, and Kaur—was just 28 runs, a significant departure from their usual dominance. Over the past three WPL seasons, Mumbai's top five had accounted for 3579 runs at an average of 30.85.

Middle Order Rescue Act

Mumbai Indians were rescued by S Sajana (45 off 25 balls) and Nicola Carey (40), who helped the team post a respectable 154 for 7. Sajana, like de Klerk, benefited from being dropped twice early in her innings but capitalized on her opportunities to push Mumbai to a competitive total.

RCB's Bowling Strength

RCB's decision to field a bowling-heavy lineup was validated by their performance in the field. Lauren Bell's opening spell put Mumbai Indians on the back foot early, while the team's deep bowling resources meant they could maintain pressure throughout the innings. Remarkably, of the nine bowling options available, RCB used only six, with even number nine batter Prema Rawat's spin not being needed.

"We've given everyone a role," Malolan said after the victory. "It's a good thing that we won. We can again look to back players into that role."

The win provides RCB with early momentum in the tournament and validation for their unconventional team strategy. As Malolan noted, "There's a lot of work that's been put behind the scenes in the last two months. So, we're just not rocking up one day prior to the game and picking an 11. A lot of thought, a lot of detail [has gone behind] understanding, on how we want to play and what it takes to win the tournament."

RCB will look to build on this victory as they continue their WPL 2026 campaign, while Mumbai Indians will aim to bounce back quickly when they face Delhi Capitals on Saturday.