Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians (MI) suffered a thrilling three-wicket defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the first match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. RCB hoisted the winning flag on the last ball. Mumbai set a target of 155 at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday. In reply, RCB scored 157 runs for seven wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk snatched victory from MI’s mouth. After landing at number six, he scored unbeaten 63 runs in 44 balls with the help of seven fours and 2 sixes. RCB needed 18 runs from the last over bowled by Sciver Brunt. In such a situation, Player of the Match Clerk helped RCB sail by hitting two fours and two sixes. MI captain Harmanpreet’s pain was expressed after the defeat. He said that if we had bowled a good ball, we would have won the match.
‘We did everything we could…’
Harmanpreet said, “We know that she (de Klerk) has the ability to score runs as per requirement in the last over.” I think we just didn’t bowl the good ball that was needed in the last over. Sometimes this happens. We gave him two or three chances and when you keep giving chances to a batsman, he always comes back with an even stronger mindset. We cannot say that the last over did not go in our favor. We got some chances but could not capitalize on them. I think we were in the game. We did everything that was required to win this match except that last over. If we could have bowled a good ball, we could have won the match.
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We have to learn from this match and…
The captain further said, “Well, such matches are always found in WPL. And we know that if we keep thinking about this game it will not help us in the upcoming match. So I think we just have to learn from this match and think how we can do better in the next match. In the first innings I think we did not get a good start in the powerplay. Hopefully for the next match we will sit together and discuss how we can improve. Initially, batting on the pitch here was not so easy. Later it got better and better. Now we know about the pitch. We know what the conditions will be like and hopefully we will perform better in the next match.” Two-time champion MI has to play its second match in the tournament against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Saturday.
