wpl 2026 The season opener at the DY Patil Stadium was a night of pure theatre, starting with a star-studded opening ceremony and ending with a thrill on the last ball. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) managed to defeat the defending champion, Mumbai Indians (MI)In a match that will be remembered for individual brilliance and miraculous comebacks.
WPL 2026: Nadine de Klerk makes dramatic turnaround as RCB beats MI in a thrilling encounter
South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk A massive robbery was planned to give RCB a winning start. Chasing a target of 155, Bengaluru found themselves in deep trouble at 121/7 after 17.2 overs, with the required rate rising rapidly and led by MI’s bowling attack. Nicola Carey And amelia kerrLooks impenetrable.
De Klerk, who was caught twice in the 19th over and survived a close run-out call, took the game to the final over with 18 runs needed from just 6 balls. After starting the over with two nerve-wracking dot balls Nat Sciver-BruntThe equation stood at an almost impossible 18 from 4, but De Klerk remained ice-cold under the stadium lights. She proceeded to destroy the defense with a sequence of 6, 4, 6, 4He remained unbeaten on 63 off 44 balls, crossing the long-off boundary with immense power before sealing the win on the last ball.
The win was the culmination of an excellent all-round performance from de Klerk, who had earlier dismantled Mumbai’s top order during his four-over spell. after Smriti Mandhana Having won the toss and elected to field, De Klerk used the “spongy bounce” of the DY Patil pitch to perfection, removing stars like Nat Sciver-Brunt and MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur to finish with career-best figures. 4/26,
Despite early successes, Mumbai managed to post a competitive score of 154/6 thanks to a strong 83-run partnership between the two. living up to life (45) and Nicola Carey (40). However, their efforts were blunted by the sheer will of De Klerk, who single-handedly pulled RCB over the line in the final moments of the game. This 3-wicket win is a huge statement of intent from Bengaluru, proving that they have the temperament to win in any situation as they look to dethrone the defending champions this season.
See also: Dream start for Lauren Bell at RCB, Amelia Kerr becomes the first wicket of WPL 2026
WPL 2026: Mumbai Indians surprised even late Royal Challengers bengaluru boom
Defending champions Mumbai Indians had the match firmly in control, but a blowout in the last over turned their seemingly assured victory into a heartbreaking defeat. After a poor start where they were reduced to 67/4, the middle-order pair of Sajna and Carey played with utmost maturity, counter-attacking against the RCB spinners to take the total to 154.
Sajna was particularly aggressive, hitting seven fours and a six in her 45 off 25 balls, while Carey provided stability with a crucial 40. Their partnership gave the MI bowlers a target they felt confident defending, and by 19 overs, it looked like they were right. Shabnim Ismail and Amelia Kerr bowled with discipline, taking wickets consistently and making it difficult for RCB to chase the target, with Bengaluru desperately needing 18 runs off the last four balls of the entire match.
However, the game changed within minutes as Nat Sciver-Brunt struggled to contain the rampaging De Klerk in the final over of the night. Mumbai’s fielding, which had been sharp for most of the evening, crumbled under the pressure of the death overs, with de Klerk missing two crucial catches in the final over, making mistakes which ultimately cost them the game.
As the final ball headed towards the long-off fence for four runs, Mumbai Indians were left to contemplate a game of missed opportunities and a rare failure to close out the match from a dominant position. While defeat is a blow to them ‘Harmanpreet Kaur’From Team India’s side, the fighting spirit shown by their lower-middle order remains a positive sign.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Wow!
what kind of game was that
Sharp, kept swinging both ways and started like a tournament @wplt20 requirements
Cricket is a beautiful game. love it
Nadine de Klerk you were 😊
Very good @RCBTweets And @mipaltan
fun start– DK (@DineshKarthik) 9 January 2026
Great start to WPL.
Well done to RCB!
De Klerk lived up to his promise.#WPL2026 #RCBvMI– Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) 9 January 2026
You knew it at the Women’s World Cup – Nadine de Klerk is going to be a complete game changer wherever she goes. What a start to WPL!! First time this season @rcb Sure …
– Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) 9 January 2026
remember the name nadin de clerc
– Kevin (@imkevin149) 9 January 2026
Nadine de Klerk! I know a lot of people will hate for me to say this, but that was very Lance Kluseneresque! Had a lot of fun! South Africa produces such great all-rounders!
-TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) 9 January 2026
What a game! Nadine de Klerk has continued her unreal performances since the World Cup. #WPL2026
– Peeyush Sharma (@peeyushsharmaa) 9 January 2026
Nadine de Klerk is an absolute champion of a player #WPL2026
– Yash Rathi (@YashRathi1845) 9 January 2026
Nadine de Klerk scares me like no one else. I have still not recovered from the World Cup onslaught and it has thrown another punch against us.
Still, what a player he is…#WPL2026
– Cricketologist (@AMP86793444) 9 January 2026
Build a statue of Nadine de Klerk. pic.twitter.com/EEUMJWpJ4L
-Aditya Saha (@Adityakrsaha) 9 January 2026
First match of the season and what an exciting match it was.
– Nadine de Klerk’s brilliant innings 🙌#MIvRCB #WPL2026 #nandinedekelerk pic.twitter.com/REDBUOHzZs
– WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) 9 January 2026
This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.
