Mumbai Indians (MI) registered 15-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 16th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara, on Monday. A sensational unbeaten century from Nat Sciver-Brunt laid the foundation for MI’s win, as they successfully defended a formidable total of 199 for 4.
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s masterclass anchors Mumbai Indians’ innings
Batting first after RCB opted to bowl, MI got off to a steady start through Hayley Matthews, who struck a fluent 56 off 39 balls. Matthews provided early momentum before falling to Lauren Bell, but by then MI were well placed.
The innings belonged to Nat Sciver-Brunt, who produced a breathtaking unbeaten 100 off 57 deliveries, featuring 16 fours and a six. Her composure under pressure and ability to find boundaries at will ensured Mumbai kept accelerating through the middle and death overs.
https://twitter.com/wplt20/status/2015814208643055841/video/1
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur chipped in with a brisk 20, adding impetus during a crucial phase.
Despite disciplined spells from Lauren Bell and Nadine de Klerk, Mumbai’s depth shone through as they closed on 199 for 4, a challenging target on the Vadodara surface.
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Richa Ghosh shines but RCB fails to reach the finish line
In reply, Royal Challengers Bengaluru began positively with Grace Harris striking a quick 15. However, early wickets stalled momentum, including the dismissals of captain Smriti Mandhana, Georgia Voll and Gautami Naik, leaving RCB struggling to build partnerships.
Middle-order resistance came from Richa Ghosh, who played a counter-attacking knock of 90 off just 50 balls, laced with 10 fours and 6 sixes. She found support from Nadine de Klerk and Arundhati Reddy, briefly reviving hopes of an unlikely chase.
Despite Ghosh’s late surge, MI bowlers held their nerve in the final overs. Shabnim Ismail set the tone early, while Matthews and Amelia Kerr chipped in with crucial wickets.
RCB eventually finished on 184 for 9, falling 15 runs short despite valiant effort from the lower middle-order.
RCB falls short by 15 runs against Mumbai Indians#cricket #RCBvMI #WPL2026 pic.twitter.com/E1vMTp6Vd6
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) January 27, 2026
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
