WPL 2026: Nadine de Klerk pulls off dramatic turnaround as RCB beat MI in thriller
South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk staged a heist of epic proportions to get RCB off to a winning start. Chasing a target of 155, Bengaluru found themselves in deep trouble at 121/7 after 17.2 overs, with the pace requirement rising steeply and the MI bowling attack, led by Nicola Carey And Amelia Kerrlooks impenetrable.
De Klerk, who was dropped twice in the 19th over and survived a close run-out call, took the match to the final with 18 runs needed off just six balls. After starting the over with two nerve-wracking point balls out Nat Sciver-Bruntthe equation was an almost impossible 18 from 4, but de Klerk remained ice cold under the stadium lights. She proceeded to dismantle the defenses with a series of 6, 4, 6, 4where he smashed the long-off mark with tremendous power before sealing victory on the last delivery to finish unbeaten with 63 off 44 balls*.
The win was the culmination of a perfect all-round performance from De Klerk, who had earlier dismantled Mumbai’s top spot during her four-over spell. After Smriti Mandhana De Klerk won the toss and was elected fielder. De Klerk used the ‘spongy bounce’ of the DY Patil pitch to perfection, removing stars like Nat Sciver-Brunt and MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to finish with the best figures of his career. 4/26.
Despite her early breakthroughs, Mumbai had managed to post a competitive 154/6 thanks to a resilient 83-run partnership between Sajeevan Sajana (45) and Nicola Carey (40). However, their efforts were overshadowed by the sheer will of De Klerk, who single-handedly carried RCB over the line in the final moments of the match. This 3-wicket win serves as a huge statement of intent for Bengaluru and proves that they have the temperament to win out of any situation as they look to dethrone the reigning champions this season.
SEE ALSO: Dream start for Lauren Bell at RCB as Amelia Kerr becomes the first wicket of WPL 2026
WPL 2026: Mumbai Indians left stunned late Royal challengers Bengaluru Gulf
Defending champions Mumbai Indians looked to be firmly in control of the match until a blast in the final turned their certain victory into a heartbreaking defeat. After a shaky start that saw them reduced to 67/4, the middle-order pair of Sajana and Carey played with tremendous maturity and counter-attacked the RCB spinners to take the total to 154.
Sajana was particularly aggressive, hitting seven boundaries and a six in her 25-ball 45, while Carey provided stability with a crucial 40. Their partnership gave the MI bowlers a target that they defended with confidence, and for 19 overs it looked like they were right. Shabnim Ismail and Amelia Kerr bowled with discipline, consistently picking up wickets and quelling the RCB chase, leaving the Bengal side needing a daunting 18 runs off the last four deliveries of the entire match.
However, the game changed within minutes as Nat Sciver-Brunt struggled to contain a rampaging De Klerk in the latter part of the evening. Mumbai’s fielding, which had been sharp for most of the evening, collapsed under the pressure of the death overs, losing two critical catches from De Klerk in the penultimate over, mistakes that would ultimately cost them the match.
As the final ball raced towards the long fence for four, Mumbai Indians were left to reflect on a match full of missed opportunities and a rare failure to close out a match from a dominant position. While the defeat is a setback for Harmanpreet Kaur’On the side, the fighting spirit demonstrated by their lower middle class remains a positive conclusion.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Wowwwwwww
What a game that was
Intense, kept swaying back and forth and started just like a tournament @wplt20 needs
Cricket is a wonderful sport. I love it
Nadine de Klerk you were 🤩
Well done @RCBTweets And @mipaltan
Nice start❤️❤️
— DK (@DineshKarthik) January 9, 2026
Great start to the WPL. 🔥🔥🔥
Well done RCB!
De Klerk keeps the promise👌#WPL2026 #RCBvMI— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) January 9, 2026
You knew it at the Women’s World Cup – Nadine de Klerk will be an absolute game changer wherever she goes. What a start to the WPL!! The first of many this season @rcb Certainly …
— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) January 9, 2026
NADINE DE KLERK THINK OF THE NAME
— Kevin (@imkevin149) January 9, 2026
Nadine de Klerk! I know many would hate me to say this, but that was very Lance Kluseneresque! Sooo nice! South Africa produces such great all-rounders!
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) January 9, 2026
What a game! Nadine de Klerk continues her surreal run since the World Cup. #WPL2026
— Peeyush Sharma (@peeyushsharmaa) January 9, 2026
Nadine de Klerk is an absolute champion of a player #WPL2026
— Yash Rathi (@YashRathi1845) January 9, 2026
Nadine de Klerk scares me like no one else does. I haven’t recovered from the World Cup attack yet and she is dealing another blow against us.
What a player…#WPL2026
— Cricketologist (@AMP86793444) January 9, 2026
Build a statue for Nadine de Klerk. pic.twitter.com/EUMJWpJ4L
— Aditya Saha (@Adityakrsaha) January 9, 2026
First game of the season and what an exciting game it was ⚡🔥
– Majestic innings from Nadine de Klerk 🙌#Mivrcb #WPL2026 #nandinidekelerk pic.twitter.com/REDBUOHzZs
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) January 9, 2026
SEE ALSO: WPL 2026 Opening Ceremony Gets Exciting as Yo Yo Honey Singh, Jacqueline Fernandez and Harnaaz Sandhu Steal the Show
This article was first published on WomenCricket.coma Cricket Times company.
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