Table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stayed true to the prevailing trend of the WPL 2026, opting to bowl first against Mumbai Indians (MI) in a high-stakes encounter in Vadodara. With a direct opportunity to seal a place in the final, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana cited expected dew conditions as a key factor behind the decision, adding that the team was keen to assess a competitive par score under lights.
RCB headed into the contest unchanged, showing faith in the combination that has kept them at the top of the standings for most of the season. MI, however, were forced into a change, drafting in Amelia Kerr after Nicola Carey was ruled out due to injury. Carey had been the only overseas player to feature in every MI game this season but picked up a niggle while batting in their previous match against Delhi Capitals and managed to bowl just one over, raising concerns over her fitness.
Injuries have been a recurring theme for MI throughout the tournament. Star allrounder Hayley Matthews missed the opening matches with a shoulder issue, while Nat Sciver-Brunt was sidelined for a game due to illness. The previous fixture also saw a brief scare when S Sajana appeared uncomfortable after a boundary dive, further highlighting MI’s physical struggles this season.
From a points-table perspective, the contrast between the two sides is stark. RCB sit comfortably at the top despite suffering a loss in their most recent outing, while MI find themselves second from the bottom after three consecutive defeats. However, MI remain very much alive in the qualification race, notably being the only team among the four contenders for the remaining knockout spots with a positive net run rate.
For MI, the equation is tightening. While defeat would not mathematically eliminate them, a heavy loss to RCB could severely damage their net run rate and leave their fate dependent on other results. RCB, on the other hand, will be eager to capitalise on MI’s fragile momentum and secure a direct route to the final.
With playoff implications, injury concerns, and form lines colliding, the clash promises to be a defining moment in the WPL 2026 campaign.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Grace Harris, 2 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 3 Georgia Voll, 4 Gautami Naik, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Radha Yadav, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Sayali Satghare, 9 Arundhati Reddy, 10 Shreyanka Patil, 11 Lauren Bell
Mumbai Indians: 1 S Sajana, 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 Amanjot Kaur, 7 Sanskriti Gupta, 8 Poonam Khemnar, 9 Rahila Firdous (wk), 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Vaishnavi Sharma
