🏏WPL 2026: Match 5: UPW vs RCBW at Navi Mumbai on 12/01/26🏏

🏏WPL 2026: Match 5: UPW vs RCBW at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai on 12/01/26 @7:30PM IST🏏

After a thriller to get off the mark, Royal Challengers Bengaluru would aim to kick on against UP Warriorz in what has been one of WPL's most evenly-contested rivalries (see head to head below).

RCB will move forward riding high on momentum following a thrilling last-ball victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians on the opening night, courtesy of Nadine de Klerk's finishing masterclass. That said, their batting felt the pinch from the void left behind by Ellyse Perry, who withdrew from this season due to personal reasons, and a fresh injury delaying the much-anticipated comeback of Pooja Vastrakar. The new opening pairing of Grace Harris with skipper Smriti Mandhana was an instant success, even though it didn't last very long in the game. However, with as many as two setbacks to what would have been their strongest XI, RCB fell short on the batting front.

Reeling at 65/5 in a sub-par chase against MI they did find a new hero, though. De Klerk had unfinished business at the DY Patil Stadium, and she showed her finishing prowess with a 6,4,6,4 sequence against the experienced Nat Sciver-Brunt when the team needed 18 off four balls to pull off the unthinkable. The bowling match-ups weren't played right too, but it's the batting that commands an immediate look-in.

While RCB got on the board in a dramatic fashion, UP Warriorz will be hunting for their first points on Monday. They were left licking their wounds after a narrow 10-run loss to the Gujarat Giants. Set a tournament record target of 208, UPW showed incredible spirit to reach 197, led by an explosive 78 from Phoebe Litchfield. While their batting came good despite collective failure of Indian batters, the formidable bowling department too is under-fire after conceding 200-plus. Barring Sophie Ecclestone, who was the pick of the bowlers with 2/32, none of the other five bowlers deployed conceded less than 9.7 RPO.

When: Monday, January 12 at 7:30 PM IST

Where: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai

What to expect: Another flat surface and conditions feasible for a high-scoring encounter.

Head to head: RCB 3-3 UPW

Team News

Royal Challengers Bangalore: There's often little reason to tamper a winning combination but RCB may need to beef up their batting.

Probable XI: Smriti Mandhana (C), Georgia Voll/Linsey Smith, D Hemalatha, Grace Harris, Richa Ghosh, Nadine de Klerk, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Lauren Bell

UP Warriorz: Despite the loss, UPW will likely back the same XI that's their strongest on paper.

Probable XI: Kiran Navgire, Meg Lanning (C), Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Deandra Dottin, Shweta Sehrawat (wk), Shikha Pandey, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana, Kranti Gaud

A new opening pair, a middle-order collapse and one batter keeping the team in the hunt - Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and UP Warriorz (UPW) had a similar pattern in their opening games, even if they had different results.

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana began breezily before getting dismissed cheaply. Grace Harris' explosiveness had given RCB a quick start but they then lost 5 for 25 to cede the advantage. While the idea of power-hitting spread across the line-up - like Richa Ghosh at No. 4, Nadine de Klerk at No. 6 - was right, it was down to de Klerk's clutch performance for RCB to cross the line.

On the other hand, UPW's new captain Meg Lanning had a scratchy start to her season. But Phoebe Litchfield, batting one drop, more than made up for it with her inventive strokeplay. Early signs are Harleen Deol and Deepti Sharma could be expected to bat in the middle order, to perhaps delay the entry point of Shweta Sehrawat and Deandra Dottin.

Because of how they line up, the roles D Hemalatha and Kiran Navgire play for either side become crucial. Hemalatha batted at No. 3 with Ellyse Perry missing the season. But she couldn't put away deliveries that targeted her stumps and pads. Navgire had a brief stay at the crease, but she needn't look too far behind for inspiration, coming off a domestic season where she was consistent while being explosive.

Monday night in Navi Mumbai will give us more insights into the approach of these two sides, with UPW's first night game of the season.

In the spotlight: Lauren Bell and Shweta Sehrawat

Lauren Bell is not new to the WPL per se - she was part of the UPW set-up before - but left quite a mark on her debut. She got the big, hooping outswingers going and had Amelia Kerr all at sea. She bowled three overs in her opening burst, taking the wicket of Kerr, and was done with her spell by the ninth over of the innings. Even with a small sample size, Bell has enjoyed the upper hand against Lanning - 12 runs, 23 balls, one wicket - and the early exchanges should set the tone again on Monday.

There have been two things that Shweta Sehrawat had to adjust to coming into WPL 2026. She is a natural top-order bat, but has often played in the middle order for UPW. So this domestic season, she batted in the middle order in the Senior T20 Trophy as well as the Under-23 T20 Trophy for Delhi, returning strike rates of 144.57 and 157.89, respectively. She showed a glimpse of her power against GG. Secondly, she has worked on her wicketkeeping a fair bit under the keen eyes of Abhishek Nayar, and the opening game showed there's still some way to go. She missed Ashleigh Gardner's stumping early in the innings and the batter went on to score an enterprising half-century.

Key stats

• Shikha Pandey vs Smriti Mandhana is a battle to watch out for. Pandey has dismissed Mandhana five times in 42 balls, with the RCB captain scoring only 45 runs.
• De Klerk has been in red-hot form in Indian conditions. UPW could turn to Deepti to haul her back. Against her, de Klerk has scored 23 runs off 21 balls for two dismissals. In the recent ODI World Cup, de Klerk scored 16 off the 15 balls she faced against Deepti for one dismissal.
• Lanning is 18 away from becoming the second player to 1000 runs in the WPL.
• Shreyanka Patil has bowled 12 balls to Lanning for just 12 runs and two wickets. Both of those came in RCB's victorious 2024 campaign.

Pitch and conditions

While it is true that chasing teams have had it slightly easier in Navi Mumbai, each of the two matches on a double-header Saturday saw teams batting first successfully defending their totals. Seamers have found assistance and have conceded runs at 6.66 per over in the powerplay, which could hold the key to teams' fortunes. Moreover, dew hasn't been a massive factor.

RCB W vs UP W — Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Smriti Mandhana

If there is one batter that most oppositions fear in the WPL, it has to be the opening batter, Smriti Mandhana. The RCB captain had a terrific run across formats in 2025, and she will be hoping to replicate the same in the cash-rich tournament as well. If she gets going in the upcoming contest, it will take the Bengaluru-based franchise closer to their second-straight win of the season and also move to the top of the points table.

Probable Best Bowler: Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma is the No. 1-ranked bowler in T20Is presently, and would be desperate to match her form in franchise cricket as well. Her first match of the season saw her return with an expensive spell, but one underwhelming match cannot take away the skills the off-spinner possesses. The Agra-born is expected to deliver a match-winning spell for the Warriorz, as the Uttar Pradesh-based franchise is looking to get their maiden points on the table.

Odd time for me to watch live but thxs sonirita, so many star player play together as same Unit, must be Great matches, i notices, so far results were so so close.

Your Presentation is very informative.

Thanks for the tag Soni. To make things exciting, I want UP to win this match.

Cheers..

Thank you Soni for the thread and for tagging me.

Full support to RCB W, but, best wishes to both the teams.