09 January,2026 09:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Smriti Mandhana (Pic: File Pic)
In the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai.
The "Paltan" will look to open their campaign on a positive note, whereas RCB will look to defend their title. The DY Patil pitch traditionally favours batswomen, often producing high-scoring thrillers that can be swayed by a single individual performance. The battle between Mandhana and Shamnim Ismail will be worth watching. It will be interesting to see if explosive RCB's Richa Ghosh manages to get her rhythm from the beginning of the tournament.
It is a battle for early momentum in what is shaping up to be the most competitive WPL season yet.
After winning the toss, Mandhana said that, considering the dew factor, she opted to bowl first in the WPL 2026 opening match. Nadine De Klerk, Grace Harris, Lauren Bell, and Linsey Smith will be their four overseas players for this game.
Meanwhile, MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur said that the side has good practice sessions at the venue for 10 days. She also informed that Hayley Matthews won't feature in the match. Nicola Carey is set to make her debut.
Will the Challengers be able to dominate the "Paltan" on their homeground?
It will be a double-decker Saturday for the cricket fans across the globe as the "Paltan" will again be in action for their second game on the very next day. They will lock horns against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the same venue. Before Mumbai's clash, the fans will witness the match between UP Warriorz (UPW) and Gujarat Giants (GG) at 3.00 PM.
Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), G Kamalini, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Nicola Carey, Poonam Khemnar, Shamnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta, Sajana Sajeevan, and Saika Ishaque.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (C), Grace Harris, Dayalan Hemalatha, Richa Ghosh (WK), Radha Yadav, Nadine De Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Prema Rawat, Linsey Smith, and Lauren Bell.
