Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women’s WPL 2026 campaign has hit its first serious roadblock. After back-to-back defeats, RCB slipped to a 15-run loss against Mumbai Indians Women at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara, triggering tough questions around bowling execution, middle-overs control, and composure under pressure. Captain Smriti Mandhana, however, struck a balanced note post-match, praising individual brilliance while acknowledging clear areas RCB must fix as the playoff race tightens.
Mumbai Indians posted 199 for 4, a total that ultimately proved decisive despite a stunning counterattack from Richa Ghosh. Sciver-Brunt masterclass puts RCB on the back foot. The match swung decisively during Nat Sciver-Brunt’s unbeaten 100 off 57 balls, an innings Mandhana openly described as elite-level T20 batting. “Nat is definitely a world-class player. She can hit one ball at three different places, which again makes life very difficult. Credit to her. The shots she played were amazing. I mean, there were not many answers which we could find out there in the middle. She almost scored the bulk of the runs. Plus, the way she accelerated after 25-30 is something which every youngster should watch and learn.” RCB started well with the new ball, especially through Lauren Bell, but once Sciver-Brunt settled, MI surged late, scoring at nearly 12 an over in the final phase.
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RCB’s early collapse leaves too much for one batter
Chasing 200, RCB never found stability at the top. Mandhana, Grace Harris, Georgia Voll, Gautami Naik and Radha Yadav were dismissed inside the powerplay, leaving the chase in survival mode. That set the stage for Richa Ghosh’s extraordinary 90 off 50 balls, one of the finest knocks of WPL 2026. Mandhana did not downplay its quality. “Absolutely brilliant innings from Richa Ghosh. I mean, it was just a treat to watch. Nadine as well, a good contribution. But yeah, I think, of course, these sort of innings, when you lose, wouldn’t go noticed. But I think it’s one of the best innings I’ve seen.” Despite late partnerships and a strong finish, RCB fell short, losing nine wickets in the process.
Where RCB lost control, Mandhana explains
Mandhana’s post-match assessment was candid and tactical rather than emotional. “Bowling has been brilliant throughout the first five games for sure. But today was one of those days where a few of our bowlers didn’t get the lines right. In T20 cricket, when someone is set, you try a few things and sometimes it doesn’t work out. Lauren Bell was brilliant with the new ball and even when she came back on. But others couldn’t step up today.” She also acknowledged the difficulty of certain match-ups and conditions. “Nadine also bowled those two difficult overs from the shorter end, so credit to her as well. We’ll think about our strategies and come back.”
Qualification pressure building, but no panic yet
With the league entering its decisive phase, Mandhana made it clear that RCB are not taking qualification for granted. “Every time we do speak about not being complacent about qualifying. We have to win one to go straight to the finals. Having said that, there are a few things we definitely need to work on.” She also highlighted the unique pressure of a short league. “WPL, because it’s five teams, always becomes complicated towards the end of the season. But for us, keeping things simple worked in the first five games, and we have to continue doing that.” The final takeaway from the RCB captain was perspective.
“In T20 cricket, you’re going to have extremely good days and bad days. We have to take both in our stride and see what we can do better.” RCB still control their destiny. But after two straight losses, execution, not intent, will decide whether they reach the final directly or get dragged into a nervous finish.
