As the Women’s Premier League (WPL) gears up for its electrifying fourth edition from January 9 to February 5, 2026, fans are buzzing with anticipation for a spectacle split across two iconic venues: the first phase at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, followed by the second at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
The action kicks off on January 9, 2026, with a blockbuster opener, as Mumbai Indians, captained by the indomitable Harmanpreet Kaur, clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru under Smriti Mandhana’s savvy leadership at 7:30 PM IST.
But beyond the star-studded lineups, it’s the simmering rivalries that promise to steal the show. In this edition of Top 5 Interesting Rivalries to Look Forward to in WPL 2026, we dive into the closest head-to-head battles: MI vs DC (4-4), MI vs RCB (4-3), Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz (3-3), Gujarat Giants vs RCB (3-3), and RCB vs UP Warriorz (3-2, with 1 tie), grudge matches primed to deliver heartbreak, heroics, and history in equal measure.
Rivalries in WPL 2026:
1] Mumbai Indians Vs Delhi Capitals: 4-4
Few rivalries in the WPL burn as fiercely as Mumbai Indians versus Delhi Capitals, locked in a dead-even 4-4 head-to-head deadlock heading into the fourth edition. MI, led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, have dominated the silverware race, clinching the inaugural 2023 title and reclaiming glory in 2025, both times at the expense of DC in gut-wrenching finals. Delhi’s scars run deep: in the 2023 opener final on March 26 at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, they posted 132, and the Mumbai Indians chased down the total with 7 wickets in hand and 3 balls to spare, claiming the inaugural title. Fast-forward to the 2025 final on March 15 at the same venue, and MI defended 150 to edge DC by 8 runs, cementing their dynasty.
DC’s pain deepens with captaincy upheaval following the mega auction on November 27, 2025. Meg Lanning, their talismanic leader, fetched 1.90 CR to join UP Warriorz as skipper. The dynamic Indian top-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues takes over as skipper for the Delhi Capitals.
Yet MI’s Harmanpreet Kaur looms large as DC’s nemesis, amassing 262 runs against them at a blistering strike rate of 134.25 and an average of 37.42 across 8 innings, including two half-centuries. Her 2025 final masterclass, 66 off 44 balls (9 fours, 2 sixes), earned Player of the Match honours, a knock that still haunts Delhi.
On the bowling front, Hayley Matthews terrorises DC with 11 wickets in 8 innings at an average of 16.36 and an economy of 7.5. With new blood leading DC and Kaur’s firepower intact, this evenly poised clash could redefine legacies all over again.
2] Mumbai Indians Vs RCB: 4-3
Mumbai Indians hold a slender 4-3 advantage over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in one of WPL’s most glamorous showdowns, but RCB’s skipper Smriti Mandhana has the knockout blow to remember. In the 2024 second edition, her side stunned MI by 5 runs in the eliminator on March 15 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Ellyse Perry’s all-round heroics earned her Player of the Match. RCB eventually went on to clinch their maiden WPL title, ending the franchise’s title drought in the 2nd edition in 2024.
Perry’s absence this season due to personal reasons stings RCB, with Sayali Satghare stepping in as a replacement, yet the fire remains as these two collide in the tournament opener on January 9, 2026, at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, from 7:30 PM IST, Harmanpreet Kaur’s MI versus Mandhana’s RCB promising instant classic status.
MI’s batting powerhouse Nat Sciver-Brunt dominates this fixture, piling 239 runs against RCB at a strike rate of 160.4 and an average of 39.83 across 7 innings, featuring two half-centuries. Bowling honours go jointly to Hayley Matthews and Sciver-Brunt with 9 wickets apiece; Matthews edges ahead at an average of 19.77 and economy of 6.84. With RCB hungry for revenge and MI’s all-round arsenal loaded, this opener could spark the deadliest chapter yet in their saga.
3] Gujarat Giants Vs UP Warriorz: 3-3
Perched on a knife-edge 3-3 head-to-head, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz embody WPL’s ultimate momentum swing, GG endured early heartbreak, dropping their first three clashes before storming back to claim the last three encounters heading into the fourth edition. Skipper Ashleigh Gardner personifies this resurgence, topping GG’s run charts against UP with 193 runs at a strike rate of 151.96 and an average of 32.16 across 6 innings, powered by two half-centuries that have tilted tight battles.
Bowling fireworks belong to Kim Garth, GG’s wrecking ball, with 7 wickets against Warriorz at a stingy average of 9.28 and economy of 8.12 in just 2 innings, including a five-wicket haul in the 2023 inaugural season. After a detour to RCB last edition, Garth returned home via the November 27, 2025, mega auction, primed to haunt UP once more. In a rivalry defined by reversals, expect Gardner’s blade and Garth’s fire to ignite another chapter of pure thriller.
4] Gujarat Giants Vs RCB: 3-3 [The Counter Punch Classics]
Tied at 3-3, Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru deliver WPL’s most predictable unpredictability, a tit-for-tat trend where every punch lands a counter. GG struck first in a high-scoring thriller of the 2023 inaugural edition, only to drop the rematch. In 2024’s second edition, they fell in Bengaluru before rebounding in Delhi; last year’s third edition mirrored it, a loss in Vadodara, a win in Bengaluru. This back-and-forth blueprint screams playoff potential heading into the fourth edition.
At the heart stands skipper Ashleigh Gardner, GG’s all-round colossus and recent helm-taker succeeding Beth Mooney from the 2nd edition of the tournament. She led her side to their first-ever appearance in the knockout stages of the tournament. She’s RCB’s nightmare, scoring 204 runs at a strike rate of 167.21 and average of 40.8 across 6 innings (including two half-centuries), while snaring 9 wickets at 19.11 average and 8.19 economy in those same outings. Gardner’s dual threat could shatter the pattern, or fuel RCB’s retaliation, in what promises another season of sweet revenge.
5] Royal Challengers Bengaluru Vs UP Warriorz: 3-2; Tied: 1
RCB cling to a 3-2 edge over UP Warriorz in the WPL’s most under-the-radar thriller, complete with a tie that etched history. After stumbling in their opener, RCB reeled off three straight wins before the 2025 third-edition nail-biter: UP chased 181 to 180 all out, forcing WPL’s first Super Over, which Warriorz snatched. Their latest clash ended in RCB defeat, keeping this underrated rivalry razor-sharp for the fourth edition.
Ellyse Perry owned UP attacks with 246 runs at a strike rate of 147.3 and an average of 49.2 across 6 innings (three half-centuries), but her personal opt-out leaves Sayali Satghare to fill mighty shoes in RCB’s squad. Bowling salvation comes from leg-spinner Asha Sobhana’s 9 wickets at 8.66 average and 6.5 economy in 3 innings, including a five-wicket haul in 2024’s second edition, fueling RCB’s maiden title under Smriti Mandhana. Injured last year, Sobhana switched to UP for 1.10 CR at the November 27, 2025, mega auction, turning predator into prey. With loyalties flipped and stakes soaring, this could birth WPL’s next iconic twist.
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