🏏WPL 2026, Match-12, GG W vs RCB W, BCA Stadium Vadodara🏏 - Page 7

RCB has become the first team to head to the playoffs!! Congratulations

So RCB have done the double on GG this season. The head-to-head record now tilts 5-3 in favour of RCB. The Gujarat Giants fought well in Navi Mumbai, but RCB bossed the show here in Vadodara. The hosts were actually off to a great start with both opening bowlers striking in their respective first overs but RCB had a surprise package in Gautami Naik. With Smriti she built a solid base for the third wicket and once she lost her captain, she took the responsibility of batting deep. She recorded her first WPL fifty and with contributions from others, RCB posted 178. There were 6 WPL games that were played here last year and all games were won by the chasing side. The Giants walked out with a lot of belief but Sayali Satghare rocked them early with a double strike in her very first over. Lauren Bell joined the party to make it 5/3. Anushka and Gardner seemed like they were in a recovery act but Nadine de Klerk gave breakthrough through the middle overs like she's always done this comp. None apart from Gardner could make notable contributions and eventually RCB remained undefeated five games into the season.

Navi Mumbai, Baroda, wherever. RCB just keep on winning! They now know they'll finish in the top three, and next on their agenda will be securing a finish on top of the table. They also become the first team in the WPL to win six games in a row, including the last game of the previous season. It's Gautami Naik who leads RCB off, emerging as their latest hero with the bat. But once RCB got to what looked like an above-par total, their bowling delivered yet again with Bell and Satghare near unplayable. One Giants slipped to 34 for 4, there was no coming back and Ash Gardner's half-century could only help them register a respectable total, although they still couldn't touch 120. For Giants, it's three defeats on the trot after two wins to start.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women won by 61 runs

RCBW 178/6(20)

GGTW 117/8(20)

Most consecutive wins in WPL

6* - RCB-W (2025-26)

5 - MI-W (2023)

5 - MI-W (2023-24)

5 - RCB-W (2024-25)

4 - DC-W (2024)

This is the second time that a team has started its WPL campaign with five wins in a row; after MI-W did that in the inaugural edition in 2023.

RCB-W are through to the playoffs.

Biggest victory margins in WPL (by runs)

143 runs - MI-W vs GG-W, Mumbai DYP, 2023

81 runs - GG-W vs UPW-W, Lucknow, 2025

72 runs - MI-W vs UPW-W, Mumbai DYP, 2023

61 runs - RCB-W vs GG-W, Vadodara, 2026

60 runs - DC-W vs RCB-W, Brabourne, 2023

Each of the previous six Women’s T20s at this venue - all in WPL 2025 - had been won by the chasing side.

Ashleigh Gardner, GG Captain: "It's pretty frustrating. I just feel we are not winning the small moments. We need to win these last three games, but overall pretty frustrating.

[On the pitch] If you look at our dismissals, we were going across the line. I guess the way we need to go forward is to try and play really straight. A lot of the positive options were down the ground so you give yourself the best chance even when the ball does stay low.

[On dismissing Mandhana] The bounce was not necessarily true and the ball wasn't staying consistent from same lengths. I knew I have a good matchup against Smriti so was just trying to stay nice and straight knowing she's really good square of the wicket.

[On her innings] I was pretty angry out there to be quite honest. I was just really frustrated. I was either hitting good shots to fielders or missing the ball. Upon reflection, I was trying to hit the ball too hard."

Nadine de Klerk, who now has the Purple Cap: "It's really easy to go on after the way Bell has opened the bowling. She's picked up some of the big hitters up front this season and makes it easier for me. Just keeping it nice and simple and trying to back up the other bowlers. It's been tough for the bowlers in Mumbai so I think to come over here, and credit to our batters for making it look easy getting to 178. It was always going to be tough to chase 180 and credit to our bowlers. We were just looking to bowl it on the stumps. We have really good bowlers that operate in the powerplay. Sayali's come in and had a massive impact. And then my job is to try and come in and hit the stumps and just mix it up and try to close it on the back end. Bowling group has been great this season.

[Team's confidence level on a scale of 0-10] I would say 12, to be honest. Different people have put their hands up in different games, not relying on a few players. Different bowlers, different batters have stepped up in the games. That's been a massive key to our success in the last five games."

The RCB bowling unit put on a clinical performance. A double strike from Sayali Satghare to remove both the openers took the wind out of Gujarat's sails very early. Another wicket inside the Powerplay left the Giants reeling. Ashleigh Gardner fought bravely, but she found little support at the other end. The writing was on the wall quite early, even if the final confirmation had to wait until the last ball, as RCB officially booked their place in the playoffs.

A perfect outing for the best team of the season! There were early nerves with the bat after two wickets fell inside the Powerplay, but from there on they kept the pressure at arm's length. As has been the story all season, new stars keep stepping up, and today it was Gautami Naik's turn. She held the innings together and stitched valuable partnerships with Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh. Handy cameos from Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil at the end pushed the total beyond 175, and the momentum flowed seamlessly into the RCB bowling effort.

Presentation ceremony

Smriti Mandhana, RCB captain: "Very happy. Again the way we started, to get 180 from there was a very good effort. Very happy for Gautami, coming in at the biggest stage and batting at 10 for 2 and then to bat the way she did. Execution of bowling plans was spot on.

[On Naik] I think the attitude she has had [stood out] even when she didn't get a chance to bat. Today again, her application was spot on. The wicket wasn't easy to bat but she understood very quickly and adapted very well. When I was batting out there and we lost Grace and Voll and whatever balls I played, at the strategic timeout I told the team I feel 160-plus is a good total. Anything above that is a bonus. But it's on the girls to adapt quickly and I am glad they did.

[On different players stepping up] Always great to see that. Everyone has had an important moment in this WPL even when they are not winning POTM. Looking forward to the break. To play three matches in four days with a travel day, extremely proud of the girls. Not easy to play high intensity matches and play again. Message will just be to take a break for a couple of days. We've not been really big on what's going to happen after 10 or 15 days. It's about doing each day right, including practice sessions. Credit to our support staff for keeping everyone happy. We are just looking forward to going out tomorrow and day after coming back to practice hard for the next match."

The Player of the Match | Gautami Naik: "Very grateful to God for this opportunity and I would like to also thank the RCB management. The trust they showed in me, I repaid that today.

[On her journey in domestic cricket] I was enjoying cricket. I just wanted a chance. It didn't matter where. It was a long journey. I can't tell you how hard I have worked for this moment. My family, my coaches, I was only able to achieve this thanks to them. I would like to dedicate this award to my sir and my family. I am here because of them and they have taken a lot of efforts today.

[Her favourite shot] I think the six I hit, that I enjoyed because that changed the momentum and I was playing with more confidence.