Nat Sciver-Brunt Scripts History with Maiden WPL Ton Against RCB

History made in WPL! Nat Sciver-Brunt smashes her first ton as MI beats RCB. Check out the thrilling match highlights

RCB Inning

Mumbai Inning

January 26, 2026

In a tournament defined by power-hitting and rapid evolution, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) finally has its first centurion. On a humid evening at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, Mumbai Indians’ talismanic all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt etched her name into the history books, smashing a breathtaking 100 off just 57 balls* to guide her team to a 15-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

In a match that was billed as a “must-win” for the defending champions to keep their playoff hopes alive, Sciver-Brunt delivered a masterclass of timing, placement, and brute force. While RCB’s Richa Ghosh threatened to steal the show with a valiant 90 in the second innings, the night belonged to the English superstar who finally broke the WPL’s three-figure jinx.

The Historic Knock: 100 (57)*

Walking in at No. 3 after the early loss of Sajeevan Sajana, Sciver-Brunt looked purposeful from her very first delivery. The pitch at Vadodara offered value for shots, but it required patience against the new ball. Sciver-Brunt, however, bypassed the “settling in” phase, finding gaps with surgical precision.

Her innings was a perfect blend of orthodox cricketing shots and T20 innovation. She reached her half-century briskly but shifted gears remarkably in the death overs. The highlight of her knock was her ability to manipulate the field; she swept the spinners with authority and drove the pacers down the ground.

As she neared the nervous 90s—a region where batters like Sophie Devine and Smriti Mandhana had faltered earlier in the season—the tension in the Mumbai dugout was palpable. But Sciver-Brunt held her nerve. In the 19th over, she pierced the field to reach the landmark, removing her helmet and soaking in the applause from a raucous crowd. Her innings was studded with 16 boundaries and one six, finishing with a strike rate of 175.44.

The Partnership: Matthews and Sciver-Brunt Rebuild

While Sciver-Brunt stole the headlines, the foundation for Mumbai’s imposing total of 199/4 was laid by a massive partnership with Hayley Matthews.

Matthews, who has had a mixed season, stepped up when it mattered most. The West Indian opener scored a fluent 56 off 39 balls, cracking 9 fours. Together, the duo stitched a 131-run stand for the second wicket, completely deflating the RCB bowling attack. They targeted the short boundaries and rotated the strike efficiently, ensuring that the run rate never dipped below nine runs per over.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur added the finishing touches with a cameo of 20 off 12 balls, ensuring MI finished just shy of the 200-run mark.

RCB’s Chase: A Top-Order Collapse

Chasing 200 was always going to be a monumental task, and RCB’s start was disastrous. Mumbai’s bowlers, buoyed by their batting dominance, struck early and hard.

Hayley Matthews returned with the ball to wreck the RCB top order. She dismissed the dangerous Smriti Mandhana (6) and Georgia Voll (9) in quick succession, both caught by fielders in the circle. When Grace Harris fell for 15 to Shabnim Ismail, RCB was reeling, staring down the barrel of a massive defeat.

By the end of the powerplay, the required run rate had skyrocketed, and wickets continued to tumble. Radha Yadav and Sayali Satghare were dismissed for ducks, leaving the middle order exposed.

Richa Ghosh’s Lone Warrior Act

Just when the match seemed to be drifting toward a one-sided conclusion, Richa Ghosh decided to fight fire with fire. The wicketkeeper-batter played one of the finest counter-attacking innings seen in the WPL, almost pulling off a miracle single-handedly.

Coming in with the scoreboard reading dire numbers, Ghosh launched a savage assault on the MI bowlers. She showed no respect for reputations, carting the spinners over the ropes and pulling the pacers with disdain. Her innings of 90 runs off 50 balls included 10 fours and 6 massive sixes, coming at a strike rate of 180.00.

She found a capable ally in Nadine de Klerk (28 off 20) and later Arundhati Reddy (14 off 18), but the target proved too steep. The pressure of the climbing run rate eventually got to her, as she was dismissed by Amelia Kerr, caught by Sanskriti Gupta in the deep, agonizingly short of her own century.

The Final Verdict

RCB finished on 184/9, falling short by 15 runs. The win was crucial for the Mumbai Indians, injecting momentum into their campaign at a critical juncture.

For cricket fans and readers of Sportzons.com, this match will be remembered not just for the result, but for the history created. Nat Sciver-Brunt didn’t just score a hundred; she raised the bar for what is possible in the WPL, proving once again why she is considered one of the premier all-rounders in the modern game.

Match Scorecard Summary

Mumbai Indians Women: 199/4 (20 Overs)

• Nat Sciver-Brunt: 100* (57) | 16×4, 1×6

• Hayley Matthews: 56 (39) | 9×4

• Bowling (RCB): Lauren Bell (2/21)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women: 184/9 (20 Overs)

• Richa Ghosh: 90 (50) | 10×4, 6×6

• Nadine de Klerk: 28 (20)

• Bowling (MI): Hayley Matthews (2/23), Amelia Kerr (2/26)

Result: Mumbai Indians won by 15 runs. Player of the Match: Nat Sciver-Brunt.

How Mumbai Neutralized the Challenge

While the scorecard shows a 15-run victory, the game was won and lost in the tactical nuances of the first six overs of both innings. Mumbai Indians, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, executed their plans to perfection.

The decision to promote Nat Sciver-Brunt to No. 3 proved to be the masterstroke. Unlike previous games where she batted lower, giving her maximum deliveries allowed her to dictate the pace of the game. She utilized the crease depth brilliantly, rocking back to cut the spinners and stepping out to negate the swing of Lauren Bell.

On the bowling front, Mumbai’s strategy to take pace off the ball early against RCB’s openers worked wonders. Hayley Matthews, opening the bowling, varied her flight and pace, frustrating Smriti Mandhana into a false shot. By removing RCB‘s top three within the Powerplay, MI effectively killed the chase before Richa Ghosh’s late resurgence.

The “Lone Wolf”: Appreciating Richa Ghosh

Cricket can be a cruel game, and no one felt that more tonight than Richa Ghosh. Walking in at 25/3, the situation demanded consolidation, but the required run rate demanded aggression. Ghosh chose the latter.

Her innings was a reminder of her growing stature in world cricket. What stood out was her shot selection against Amelia Kerr and Shreyanka Patil. She targeted the shorter side of the boundary with calculated risks. Her 90 runs contributed to nearly 49% of her team’s total, a statistic that highlights the lack of support from the other end. For RCB fans, this knock offers a glimmer of hope for the remainder of the season, proving their middle order has the firepower to chase big totals if the top order fires.

Nat Sciver-Brunt Scripts History with Maiden WPL Ton Against RCB

For our stat-loving readers at Sportzons.com, here are the key records broken in this match:

• First WPL Century: Nat Sciver-Brunt became the first player in WPL history to cross the 100-run mark, surpassing the previous highest scores of the season.

• Highest Partnership: The 131-run stand between Matthews and Sciver-Brunt is now the highest second-wicket partnership in the ongoing season.

• Strike Rate Beast: Richa Ghosh’s strike rate of 180.00 is the highest for any batter scoring 50+ runs in a chasing cause this season.

• Boundary Count: The match witnessed a total of 46 boundaries (35 fours and 11 sixes), making it one of the most entertaining offensive displays of the tournament.

What This Means for the Points Table

This victory acts as a massive booster for the Mumbai Indians. The two points push them up the ladder, but more importantly, the margin of victory helps their Net Run Rate (NRR), which could be the deciding factor for the playoffs.

For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the road ahead gets steeper. While their batting depth was tested and proven by Ghosh, their bowling unit conceding nearly 200 runs is a major cause for concern. They will need to regroup quickly, specifically addressing their death-over bowling which leaked 55 runs in the final 4 overs.

Fan Reactions

The atmosphere at the BCA Stadium was electric, and social media mirrored that energy. Fans on Twitter (X) hailed Sciver-Brunt as the “Queen of Mumbai,” while Richa Ghosh’s valiant effort earned her the title of “Warrior” despite the loss. The hashtag #MIvRCB trended at #1 in India throughout the evening, proving once again that the WPL has captured the imagination of the cricketing nation.

Final Thoughts

History was witnessed tonight. A maiden century, a near-chase, and a game that went down to the wire. As we move deeper into the tournament, teams will be looking at this Mumbai Indians performance as the benchmark.

Nat Sciver-Brunt Scripts History with Maiden WPL Ton Against RCB