Nadine de Klerk won the match for RCB after they were on the verge of losing RCB Women vs MI Women: Nadine de Klerk pulls off a miracle
Mumbai Indians
| Player Name | Runs | Balls |
| Amelia Kerr | 4 | 15 |
| Gunalan Kamalini | 32 | 28 |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt | 4 | 3 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur (c) | 20 | 17 |
| Nicola Carey | 40 | 29 |
| Sajeevan Sajana | 45 | 25 |
| Amanjot Kaur | 0* | 2 |
| Poonam Khemnar | 0* | 1 |
| Total | 154/6 | (20 Ov) |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
| Player Name | Runs | Balls |
| Smriti Mandhana | 18 | 13 |
| Grace Harris | 25 | 16 |
| Dayalan Hemalatha | 7 | 10 |
| Richa Ghosh | 12 | 11 |
| Radha Yadav | 1 | 4 |
| Nadine de Klerk | 63* | 43 |
| Arundhati Reddy | 20 | 25 |
| Shreyanka Patil | 1 | 2 |
| Prema Rawat | 8* | 4 |
| Total | 157/7 | (20 Ov) |
Navi Mumbai, January 9, 2026 – The opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 witnessed one of the greatest individual performances in the tournament’s history. South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk produced a masterclass with both ball and bat, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a thrilling 3-wicket victory over the defending champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), at the DY Patil Stadium.
The First Innings: De Klerk’s Bowling Masterclass
After Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bowl, the RCB bowlers struck early. Lauren Bell removed Amelia Kerr (4) in the 5th over, setting a cautious tone for MI. While Gunalan Kamalini (32 off 28) tried to stabilize the innings, Nadine de Klerk broke the back of Mumbai’s middle order.
De Klerk first dismissed the dangerous Nat Sciver-Brunt (4) and then clean-bowled skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (20) with a beautiful delivery. Despite a late-inning flourish from Sajeevan Sajana (45 off 25) and Nicola Carey (40 off 29), De Klerk returned in the final over to remove both set batters, finishing with spectacular figures of 4/26. Mumbai Indians eventually posted a competitive total of 154/6.
The Run Chase: A Top-Order Collapse
RCB’s chase began with intent as Smriti Mandhana (18) and Grace Harris (25) added 40 runs in less than 4 overs. However, the introduction of Shabnim Ismail and Amelia Kerr turned the tide. Mandhana fell to Ismail, and Harris soon followed.
The middle order crumbled under pressure. Dayalan Hemalatha (7), Richa Ghosh (12), and Radha Yadav (1) were dismissed in quick succession, leaving RCB reeling at 65/5. At this stage, Mumbai Indians looked certain to walk away with a comfortable win.
The De Klerk-Reddy Rescue Act
Nadine de Klerk was joined by Arundhati Reddy, and the duo began a patient reconstruction. They stitched together a vital 52-run partnership for the 6th wicket. While Reddy (20 off 25) played the anchor role, De Klerk started to find boundaries at regular intervals.
However, the drama intensified in the 17th over when Nicola Carey removed both Reddy and Shreyanka Patil, leaving RCB at 121/7. With 34 runs needed off the final 18 balls and only the tail-enders remaining, the odds were heavily stacked against Bengaluru.
The Final Over Thriller: 20 Runs off 4 Balls
The match boiled down to the final over, with RCB requiring 18 runs off 6 balls. Nat Sciver-Brunt was handed the ball to defend the total for Mumbai.
The first two balls were dots, leaving RCB needing 18 off just 4 deliveries. What followed was pure carnage:
-
19.3: De Klerk smoked a massive six over deep cover.
-
19.4: She followed it up with a powerful four through square leg.
-
19.5: Another towering six over mid-wicket brought the equation down to 2 runs off the final ball.
-
19.6: With nerves of steel, De Klerk hammered a four through the covers to seal a historic win.
Nadine de Klerk won the match for RCB after they were on the verge of losing.
Nadine de Klerk finished unbeaten on 63 off 44 balls*, including 4 fours and 4 sixes. Her all-round performance (4 wickets and a half-century) earned her the Player of the Match award and gave RCB a perfect start to their WPL 2026 campaign. For Mumbai Indians, it was a bitter pill to swallow after having the game in their grasp for the majority of the second innings.
