De Klerk’s all-round show powers them to a thrilling 3-wicket win in WPL opener
Navi Mumbai: Nadine de Klerk delivered a sensational all-round performance as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stunned defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) by three wickets in a dramatic last-ball finish in the opening match of the 2026 Women’s Premier League at the DY Patil Stadium here on Friday.
De Klerk first dismantled MI’s batting with incisive seam bowling, claiming four for 26 to restrict the holders to 154 for six, before anchoring RCB’s chase with an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls under intense pressure.
RCB’s pursuit began in aggressive fashion with Grace Harris and skipper Smriti Mandhana taking early advantage of the powerplay to race to 40 without loss in three overs. The momentum, however, swung sharply as MI struck back through Shabnim Ismail and Nat Sciver-Brunt. Mandhana was dismissed for 18, Harris fell soon after, and RCB slipped to 63 for four. Amelia Kerr tightened the screws further, becoming the leading wicket-taker in WPL history during her spell, while RCB continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. With the asking rate climbing, de Klerk emerged as the unlikely match-winner, absorbing pressure and rotating the strike before launching a late assault.
Earlier, MI struggled to accelerate at the death despite a solid platform, as de Klerk’s disciplined bowling ensured they fell short of a par total.
She added a vital partnership with Arundhati Reddy to revive the chase and then took charge in the closing overs. MI’s fielding faltered at a crucial juncture, with de Klerk handed multiple reprieves in the 19th over — errors that proved decisive.
Needing six off the final delivery, de Klerk showed nerves of steel, powering Sciver-Brunt over the bowler’s head for a match-winning four to seal a remarkable victory.
The win gave RCB a rousing start to their campaign and left the defending champions searching for answers after a gripping opener.
