Defending Champions Mumbai Indians Lose Opening Match: WPL 2026
In the opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, defending champions Mumbai Indians suffered a defeat. The match was played at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Mumbai Indians’ Innings
Batting first, Mumbai Indians scored 154 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. The target set for RCB was 155 runs.
RCB in Trouble During the Chase
While chasing the target, RCB lost 4 wickets for just 67 runs and appeared to be heading towards defeat. At this stage, Nadine de Klerk came to the crease and changed the course of the match with a crucial innings.
Key Turning Point: Three Missed Chances
Mumbai Indians made three consecutive fielding mistakes in the 19th over, which proved decisive.
- On the first ball of the 19th over, Nadine de Klerk offered a simple catch, but Nat Sciver-Brunt failed to hold it.
- On the fourth ball of the same over, de Klerk gave another catch on the leg side, which was dropped by Amelia Kerr at the boundary.
- Immediately after, Amanjot Kaur threw the ball towards wicketkeeper Kamalini, but she failed to collect it cleanly, missing an easy run-out opportunity.
These three errors gave Nadine de Klerk three lives in a single over.
Match-Winning Finish
Taking advantage of the dropped chances, Nadine de Klerk played aggressively in the final over, hitting 6, 4, 6, and 4.
Her batting helped Royal Challengers Bangalore secure a thrilling 3-wicket victory.
Mumbai Indians’ Missed Opportunity
Mumbai Indians, who were in a strong position to win the match, conceded defeat on the final ball due to repeated mistakes in the field.
Match Summary
- Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai
- Mumbai Indians: 154/6 in 20 overs
- RCB target: 155
- RCB lost 4 wickets for 67 runs
- Nadine de Klerk played a match-winning innings
- Three dropped chances in the 19th over by Mumbai Indians
- RCB won by 3 wickets on the last ball
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