In a riveting post-match press conference following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 15-run defeat to Mumbai Indians in Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Match 16 at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, RCB Head Coach Malolan Rangarajan delivered candid insights.
The RCB’s loss has left the doors still open for the teams in contention to claim the top spot. Nat Sciver-Brunt’s historic 100* off 57 balls powered MI to 199/4, clinching Player of the Match honours and propelling MI to second place with six points from seven games. Rangarajan praised the opposition’s brilliance while dissecting RCB’s bowling lapses, Richa Ghosh’s near heist (90* off 50), and the team’s resolve to top the table ahead of their January 29 clash with UP Warriorz.
Rangarajan wasted no time tipping his hat to Sciver-Brunt’s masterclass, calling it one of the finest innings he’s witnessed across IPL and WPL. “Certainly, you have to give credit to Nat’s innings, across both; this is one of the premier innings I have seen,” he said, marvelling at how she dispatched even good-length balls with precision post-timeout.
He noted RCB’s execution held firm early, but Sciver-Brunt’s switch flipped the script, etching her name as WPL’s first centurion after 1059 days and 82 matches. Hayley Matthews’ 56 off 39 complemented the 131-run stand, yet Rangarajan highlighted tactical tweaks, like bowling shorter to the leg side, that kept MI under 200 despite skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s finishing.
Delving into bowling woes, Rangarajan pinpointed exploiting Vadodara’s lopsided boundaries as key. “We didn’t bowl to the longer side as much as we would have liked; those 20-25 runs might have been the difference,” he reflected, crediting Lauren Bell’s stellar 2/21, including wickets of both openers, for standing out on a high-scoring deck.
The pitch, improved from the prior dry track yet still skiddy under dew, surprised with its 200-plus potential. RCB’s fightback from 35/5 showcased resilience, with Nadine de Klerk (28 off 20) and Arundhati Reddy (14 off 18) steadying before Ghosh’s beast-mode explosion, 10 fours and six sixes, including three straight maximums in the 19th over, costing 27.
On Richa Ghosh’s mindset, Rangarajan revealed strategic huddles that fueled her charge. “Richa Ghosh played very well, we spoke about giving ourselves the option of chasing 25 in the last over,” he shared, praising her instant retort of “sir, 15 kam tha” post-match. Her 55-run 9th wicket stand with Shreyanka Patil pressured MI’s defence, underscoring RCB’s philosophy of flipping scripts. Addressing batting order queries, he defended promoting Sayali Satghare for stability before Patil, emphasising context over hindsight amid 101 needed in the last six overs.
Rangarajan dismissed peaking clichés, insisting RCB eyes the top spot. He lauded Lauren Bell’s threat, “Belzee, a very good character to have”, and backed Satghare’s resilience despite a tough day. With training geared for Warriorz, consistency defines their calm ethos.
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