🏏WPL 2026: Match 1: MIW vs RCBW at Navi Mumbai on 09/01/26🏏

🏏WPL 2026: Match 1: MIW vs RCBW at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai on 09/01/26 @7:30PM IST🏏

Harmanpreet, Mandhana return to DY Patil, on opposite sides this time

MI take on RCB, with the match-up having all the ingredients needed for a great WPL rivalry

In its fourth season, the WPL now feels part of the system, shaping careers and standards in increasingly visible ways. Most notably, it played a part in India winning their first ODI World Cup last year. How 'bout that. Almost silly that there was a time when this idea struggled to get off the ground.

There is an extra layer of significance this time. Harmanpreet and Mandhana return to the venue where the defining night of their international careers played out two months ago. The DY Patil Stadium will stir fond memories not just for the two captains but also for the India players on both sides, even if the sea of MI blue in the stands is expected to outweigh RCB's red, black and gold. It was here that the duo shared an emotional hug after India clinched the World Cup, before circling the ground together, singing and dancing long into the night. On the eve of the WPL opener, both admitted those memories came flooding back as they walked into the stadium.

In the spotlight: Kamalini and Patil

G Kamalini, 17, was retained by MI ahead of the auction alongside players like Harmanpreet, Sciver-Brunt, Matthews and Amanjot, which is an indicator of how highly she is rated. A left-handed wicketkeeper-batter with the ability to go big, Kamalini offers flexibility in the line-up. She made her WPL debut last season and announced herself in just her second game, against RCB, holding her nerve to seal a last-over victory. She continued to impress in the domestic circuit, which earned her a maiden India call-up late last year for the T20I series against Sri Lanka, where she made her international debut. Captain Harmanpreet indicated ahead of this season that Kamalini would be given a "special role", suggesting a move up the order, and said she expects the teenager to be one of the "main players" in the team.

After missing WPL 2025 and spending more than a year sidelined by a series of injuries, spin-bowling allrounder Shreyanka Patil returns to the tournament that launched her into prominence. She was just 20 when she debuted for RCB in 2023, and her rise was swift, with India T20I and ODI caps following later that year. Patil enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2024, finishing as the tournament's leading wicket-taker as RCB went on to lift their maiden title. She made her return from injury at the Women's CPL last September, featured in the domestic season for Karnataka, and was one of four players retained by RCB ahead of the auction. In the lead-up to the season, Patil has focused on fine-tuning her offspin, batting and overall fitness during a month-long conditioning camp at the private academy where she trains.

Team news: Who replaces Perry at RCB?

With Perry, who batted at No. 3, pulling out of the season, RCB are likely to have Voll open alongside Mandhana, with D Hemalatha or Gautami Naik playing at No. 3. It remains to be seen whether Vastrakar, who's under an injury cloud, is available for selection.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Georgia Voll, 3 D Hemalatha/Gautami Naik, 4 Grace Harris, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Nadine de Klerk, 7 Pooja Vastrakar/ Sayali Satghare, 8 Radha Yadav, 9 Shreyanka Patil, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Lauren Bell

MI have a settled XI, with Kamalini expected to open alongside Matthews.

Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 G Kamalini (wk), 2 Hayley Matthews, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 Amanjot Kaur, 7 Poonam Khemnar, 8 S Sajana, 9 Sanskriti Gupta, 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Saika Ishaque

Pitch and conditions: Expect runs and dew

Conditions in Navi Mumbai are likely to favour the batters, with dew possibly coming into play in the second half. The surface also offers some early movement for fast bowlers. Only three of the 11 WPL matches at DY Patil have been won by teams batting first. The average first-innings score here in T20s since 2024 is 169.

Stats that matter: Record-breaking Amelia Kerr

• Amelia Kerr begins the WPL as the leading wicket-taker in women's T20s, having gone past Jess Jonassen's tally of 394. She also became the first woman to take 400 T20 wickets (402 wickets at the moment), during the ongoing Super Smash, where she also scored her maiden T20 hundred.
• No player has been troubled by a bowling style as much as offspin has troubled Smriti Mandhana in the WPL. She has scored 139 runs against right-arm offspinners and has been dismissed by them 11 times, while striking at 95.86.
• If Vastrakar is available for RCB, she'll be a good shout to counter the Matthews threat. She has dismissed Matthews four times in four meetings in T20Is.

Quotes

"It's always exciting to see talents coming up in WPL, so I would never say that the doors are always closed and no one's going to get anything out of this. I'm sure if there's an exciting talent and someone has got an extraordinary season, there will be a chance for the T20 World Cup."

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana on how WPL performance can help India players can still stake claim in the T20WC squad

"I think as a batter I want to bat freely because this is the only platform where I don't put a lot of pressure on me because this is something where I can execute myself however I want. It's a very important tournament for me and I just want to contribute for my team as much as I can."

Harmanpreet Kaur on her expectations from this WPL season

MI W vs RCB W Head-to-Head Record

Matches Played 07

Won By MI W 04

Won By RCB W 03

No Result/Tied 00

First Ever Fixture March 06, 2023

Most Recent Fixture March 11, 2025

MI W vs RCB W Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Nat Sciver-Brunt

Nat Sciver-Brunt could be the key batter in this clash. She was named Player of the Tournament in WPL 2025 after producing a series of dominant performances, scoring freely all around the ground and consistently troubling opposition bowlers. With 1,027 runs in 29 WPL matches so far, Sciver-Brunt remains one of the most reliable and destructive batters in the competition. She will be eager to carry her rich vein of form into the opening game of the new season and set the tone for Mumbai Indians Women.

Probable Best Bowler: Radha Yadav

Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav could be the key bowler in this clash. After spending the previous three seasons with Delhi Capitals Women, she begins a new chapter with her new team and will be eager to make an immediate impact. Radha has taken 14 wickets in the WPL so far while maintaining an economy rate below eight. Her role in the middle overs will be crucial, as her ability to control the run flow and pick up timely wickets could prove decisive in the contest.

Today's Match Prediction: Chasing team to win the match

Disclaimer

The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.