RCB VS MI TATA WPL 2026: The Clutch Nadine De Klerk knock ! “RCB are known to play thrillers”, says Smriti Mandhana

A blockbuster start for TATA WPL 2026 between RCB VS MI, Nadine De Klerk steals the opener from MI by 3 wickets. An electrifying season opener saw defending champions Mumbai Indians face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at D.Y. Patil Stadium.”

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, all rounder Nadine De Klerk shows brilliance on the big stage. De Klerk’s miracle heist for Royal Challengers Bengaluru has defeated Mumbai Indians by 3 wickets left in the hand in a last ball thriller opener match of the 2026 TATA WPL season.

The season opener promises high drama, star performances, intense rivalry as two powerhouse team and an absolute backup by the fans under the lights.

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In starting it looks like Mumbai Indians have done it again, they have successfully dismantled the top order of RCB, and know they are close to win. But again a South African lucky charm on RCB’s side. Mumbai Indians gives a target of 155 to RCB. Grace Harris and Smriti Mandhana gives a strong opening to the team, but RCB skipper falls to Shabnim Ismail and eventually Grace Harris to Nat Sciver-Brunt. After the fall of top order batsman, RCB’s middle order falls like a house of card in front of Mumbai’s bowling attack. Then Arundhati Reddy and Nadine De Clerk build a strong partnership showcasing a blend of defensive and wicket saving play, absorbing the pressure from RCB.

In last over of the match, Nat Sciver-Brunt comes to bowl, against South African batter, Nadine De Clerk. She hits a maximum on the third ball of and then one four in last over of the match when RCB needs 18 runs on 6 balls to register a win against Mumbai Indians in D.Y Patil Stadium and finishes off with a six when RCB need 2 run on 1 ball. De Clerk showcase her brilliant batting skills by maintaining a eye-bat coordination under the lights.

Nadine De Clerk scores, 63 runs on 44 balls, by hitting seven fours and two sixes, with a strike rate of 143.18. Not only De Clerk but Lauren Bell, also performs well with new ball, the first over of the WPL goes maiden. Mumbai Indian opener Amelia Kerr struggles in front of Bell, and lost her wicket on 4(15).

“RCB are known to play thrillers”, says Smriti Mandhana in post match conference of match

Speaking during the post-match presentation, Smriti said, “I think for the first match of the WPL, it was a thriller. And RCB are known to play thrillers. Last year, we were on the receiving end of these matches, so happy that we pulled it off. Brilliant from Nadine to finish the match like that. Everyone was pretty positive. We were having a laugh. Even when things were not going well, everyone was pretty positive.”

Just like South Africa vs India’s match in World Cup 2025, says RCB’s Skipper on RCB vs MI clash.

Smriti compared this innings with South Africa and India’s world cup clash in Visakhapatnam and spoke how Nadine had snatched a match for South Africa during last year’s World Cup against India from the jaws of defeat, powering her side to a successful chase of 250-odd runs from a troublesome situation at 142/6 with her 84* at Visakhapatnam and said that just like MI’s Sajeevan Sajana had made them pay for a catch drop with some quick runs, they were hoping Nadine would also unleash her sixes after getting dropped by Nat Sciver Brunt.

“Yeah, we saw that in Visakhapatnam when she played that innings against us (during the World Cup). And I was just telling our head coach, Malolan, that I think we were in a similar situation against South Africa in the World Cup match, and she pulled it off. And I think when she got dropped, we just said that when we dropped, Sajana got runs – let us hope she gets two sixes. And she actually got them,” she added.