Injury Blows for RCB and Mumbai Indians Ahead of WPL 2026

The opening match of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 was preceded by significant injury concerns for both Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and defending champions Mumbai Indians. RCB's pace bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has been ruled out of action for at least two weeks due to a hamstring injury, while Mumbai Indians' star all-rounder Hayley Matthews missed the tournament opener with a shoulder issue.

RCB head coach Malolan Rangarajan confirmed Vastrakar's absence following his team's thrilling last-ball win against Mumbai Indians on Friday (January 9). "Pooja Vastrakar was not available for selection [against Mumbai Indians]," Malolan said. "Two weeks prior to her release from the CoE (Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru), she unfortunately tweaked her hamstring. The information that we have is that she will be there for two weeks more. Earlier, she was there [at the CoE] for her shoulder, now she has a hamstring issue. It's a week by week process. So let's see where she is at."

The injury comes as a significant setback for RCB, who had acquired Vastrakar in the auction to bolster their bowling attack. Her absence forces the team to reconsider their bowling combinations early in the tournament.

Matthews' Shoulder Concern

On the other side, Mumbai Indians were without the services of West Indian all-rounder Hayley Matthews, who is recovering from a shoulder injury. Mumbai Indians head coach Lisa Keightley provided an update on Matthews' condition: "Unfortunately, her shoulder isn't great. While training, she got a slight strain and she's really close (to play). It was a bit too close for her to play tonight. We will see how she goes tomorrow, and if she's fit for tomorrow's game. But she is really close."

Matthews' absence forced Mumbai Indians to reshuffle their batting order, with Amelia Kerr opening the innings in her place. The defending champions will be hoping for Matthews' quick return as they prepare to face Delhi Capitals on Saturday at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

These early injury concerns highlight the physical demands of the tournament and the careful management required for players who have been through intensive training and competition schedules. Both teams will be monitoring their star players closely as WPL 2026 progresses.