Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCBs) Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 campaign began with a reminder of why composure under pressure and experience often outweighs flair, as Nadine de Klerk produced a calm, yet a nail-biting match-winning finish to guide her side home despite a dramatic top-order collapse. In a tense opening-night contest, RCB stumbled early, steadied themselves through a crucial lower-order partnership, and eventually sealed the chase with de Klerk staying till the end and finishing the job in style.
Mumbai Indians, after losing early momentum, recovered through crucial middle overs to post a competitive total of 154/6 in 20 overs at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Despite early setbacks, Sajeevan Sajana’s 45 off 25 balls and Nicola Carey’s 40 off 29 anchored the innings, helping MI recover after a shaky start.
Debutant Lauren Bell had an impressive performance, setting the tone for RCB’s bowling effort. RCB’s bowlers were dominating; Nadine de Klerk led the attack with figures of 4/26, cutting through MI’s middle order and applying pressure at key moments, though MI managed to rebuild well enough to set a challenging target.
In the next innings, damage came swiftly. RCB’s chase began with promise but unraveled rapidly as wickets fell in clusters. The top order failed to absorb pressure, and within the first eight overs RCB had slipped to 65/5, handing momentum firmly to MI. The collapse exposed a reliance on early stability and placed immediate pressure on the middle and lower order. The required rate climbed, the field tightened, and MI sensed an opportunity to close the game out early.
Just when the chase threatened to spiral, Nadine de Klerk and Arundhati Reddy rose up to the occasion. The pair stitched together a vital partnership of over 50 runs, focusing on strike rotation and selective boundary-hitting rather than reckless aggression. Arundhati’s 20 off 25 balls played a crucial role. She absorbed pressure, allowed de Klerk time to settle, and ensured the equation remained manageable. The stand didn’t dominate the bowling, but it restored structure to the chase and shifted momentum back towards RCB.
When Arundhati fell in the 17th over, RCB were still under pressure, but the most important factor remained: de Klerk was still at the crease. Nadine de Klerk didn’t just answer, she seized control. Her innings of 63* off 44 balls was the defining moment of the match. The drama peaked in the final over. Needing 18 runs off the last six deliveries, de Klerk unleashed a mix of powerful hitting and smart placement 6, 4, 6, 4 to level the game exactly on the final ball, culminating in a boundary to seal the win.
De Klerk became only the 2nd player, after Deepti Sharma, in WPL history to score a fifty and take a four-wicket haul in the same match, a rare all-round achievement that made her the player of the match. This was not a flawless RCB performance. The top-order collapse remains a concern, and the chase went far deeper than it should have.
However, the resilience driven by de Klerk’s finishing mastery, highlighted the team’s depth and ability to respond under pressure. The final boundary will dominate the highlights, but the victory was built earlier through smart bowling plans, timely breakthroughs, and one player’s refusal to let the game drift away.
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