The Women’s Premier League 2026 kicked off in style. Royal Challengers Bengaluru edged out Mumbai Indians by three wickets, sealing the win on the very last ball at DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on January 9. Nadine de Klerk stole the show: she grabbed four wickets and hammered an unbeaten 63, carrying her team past the defending champions in a game nobody’s going to forget anytime soon.
For MI, Sajeevan Sajana added 45 valuable runs in 25 balls, and Amelia Kerr gave only 13 runs in her 4 overs, taking 2 crucial wickets of Richa Ghosh and Radha Yadav. Still, it is not enough for MI, as their worst fielding in the last 2 overs costs them and snatches victory from their lap.
Match Summary
Here is the complete match summary of this nail-biter last-over drama game:
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Mumbai Indians Women Score | 154/6 (20 overs) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Score | 157/7 (20 overs) |
| Match Result | RCB won by 3 wickets |
| Best Batting (MI) | Sajeevan Sajana – 45 off 25 balls (7 fours, 1 six) |
| Best Batting (RCB) | Nadine de Klerk – 63* off 44 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes) |
| Best Bowling (MI) | Amelia Kerr – 2/13 in 4 overs (Econ: 3.25) |
| Best Bowling (RCB) | Nadine de Klerk – 4/26 in 4 overs (Econ: 6.50) |
| Best Fielder | Richa Ghosh (RCB) – 1 stumping, 1 catch |
| Player of the Match | Nadine de Klerk (RCB) |
RCB captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision paid off early as Lauren Bell and Nadine de Klerk kept MI batters under pressure throughout the first innings. However, MI’s middle-order partnership threatened to take the game away before de Klerk struck crucial blows in the death overs.
Mumbai Indians Innings: 154/6 in 20 Overs
The defending champs had a tough time in the powerplay, especially after Amelia Kerr went out for just 4; Lauren Bell got her early. Bell was on fire, bowling three out of the first six overs and giving up only 7 runs, plus that wicket.
Gunalan Kamalini tried to hold things together, scoring 32 off 28 balls with 5 boundaries, but Shreyanka Patil eventually got her out. Nat Sciver-Brunt barely got going with 4, and even Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain, couldn’t push past 20.
Everything changed when Nicola Carey (40 from 29 balls) and Sajeevan Sajana (45 from 25) teamed up at 67 for 4. They pulled off an 82-run stand for the fifth wicket; actually, that’s MI’s best-ever partnership for the fifth wicket or lower in WPL history. But just when things looked set, Nadine de Klerk stepped in during the final over. She got both Sajana and Carey out, wrapping up with 4 wickets for 26 runs from her 4 overs.
RCB Chase: 157/7 in 20 Overs
RCB came out swinging, with Grace Harris wasting no time; she hammered 25 runs from just 12 balls, cracking four boundaries and a six right from the start. Smriti Mandhana, the captain, looked sharp too and scored 18 off 13, but her innings got cut short when Shabnim Ismail got her out, thanks to a sharp catch from Poonam Khemnar.
Everything changed the moment Amelia Kerr stepped up. She knocked out Radha Yadav for just 1 and sent Richa Ghosh packing for 6, all in the space of four balls. Suddenly, RCB dropped from 63/3 to 65/5, and it was only the eighth over.
Before that, Dayalan Hemalatha had already headed back to the pavilion after a short stay, thanks to Amanjot Kaur. Things kept getting worse for RCB. Nicola Carey piled on the pressure in the 17th over, removing Arundhati Reddy, who managed 20, and Shreyanka Patil for just 1. Now, RCB sat at 121/7, staring at a tough equation: 34 runs needed from 18 balls.
Then Nadine de Klerk decided she wasn’t done yet. She stood tall, unbeaten on 63 off 44, with Prema Rawat holding her own at the other end. RCB clawed their way back. Suddenly, there was a real fight on. Now, with just one over left, RCB needed 18 runs from 6 balls, and Nat Sciver-Brunt had the ball in her hand.
The Last Over Drama: De Klerk delivered one of the most remarkable finishes in WPL history. She hit 6, 4, 6, and 4 off the last four balls to seal the win. The final shot came off the last delivery as de Klerk cleared deep midwicket to send RCB fans into celebrations.
Key Highlight: Player of the Match – Nadine de Klerk Steals the Show
The South African all-rounder put in a complete performance:
- With the ball: 4/26 in 4 overs
- With the bat: 63* off 44 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes)
De Klerk grabbed four wickets and kept MI’s score within reach. Then, with the bat, she stayed calm when things got tense and played the kind of innings that wins matches. She played a part in getting five MI batters out, four with the ball and one with a sharp stumping off her own bowling. Honestly, when RCB looked down and out, she just took control and flipped the game on its head.
Conclusion: What This Result Means
RCB started their WPL 2026 campaign with 2 points and a positive net run rate. The 2024 champions showed they can handle pressure situations. MI, despite being the defending champions, will need to regroup quickly for their next match.
The opening game showcased everything that makes WPL exciting: dramatic swings in momentum, individual brilliance, and a finish that went down to the final ball.
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