Mumbai Indians Women vs RCB Women Prediction & Match Preview – WPL 1st Match
Match summary
The Women’s Premier League 2026 opens with Mumbai Indians against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Navi Mumbai. Read our preview, likely XIs and pitch.
Match details
| Match | Mumbai Indians Women vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women, 1st Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Women’s Premier League 2026 |
| Date | 9 Jan 2026 |
| Start time | 2:00 pm GMT / 7:30 pm local |
| Venue | Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Mumbai Indians Women |
| Toss pick | Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women |
Matches in this series
Match preview
The 2026 Women’s Premier League starts with a meeting of two title winners. Mumbai Indians, a two-time champion, have kept Hayley Matthews and Nat Sciver-Brunt at the top of the order. With Yastika Bhatia unavailable, Matthews needs a new opening partner, and Amelia Kerr is a strong candidate. Sciver-Brunt should bat at three, Harmanpreet Kaur anchors the middle order and Amanjot Kaur is expected at five, while Nicola Carey and Kerr compete as bowling all-rounders.
Shabnim Ismail and Sciver-Brunt are set to lead the attack, with Matthews offering steady support, and Sanjeevan Sanjana and Sanskriti Gupta provide help lower down. The overseas contingent gives the side depth and flexibility.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, captained by Smriti Mandhana, won the 2024 title and have made major squad changes. Without Ellyse Perry they need a dependable number three, with Georgia Voll and Grace Harris the leading options, while Richa Ghosh remains a key finisher at four. Pooja Vastrakar and Shreyanka Patil will matter with bat and ball, and Lauren Bell or Linsey Smith could join Radha Yadav and Arundhati Reddy in the bowling mix.
The Dr DY Patil Sports Academy has a reputation for a batting-friendly surface with steady bounce, good for stroke play and high-scoring limited-overs games. Seamers can get some help with the new ball, especially under lights, but the pitch flattens out and partnerships become easier to build. Spinners come into the picture in the middle overs as it slows slightly. T20s here often produce totals of around 160–170, and chasing sides have done reasonably well, with light dew possible. Teams with batting depth usually hold the advantage.
Warm and mostly dry conditions are expected at the 7:30 pm local start, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures of about 26–27°C. Rain is very unlikely in January, winds should be light to moderate, and humidity may be noticeable but no weather threat is forecast.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 155–170 | – |
| Second innings | 150–165 | – |
Mumbai Indians Women
Mumbai keep a strong core of Matthews, Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet, while Royal Challengers must settle a new number three after losing Ellyse Perry.
Toss pick: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women
FAQ
Who is expected to win Mumbai Indians Women vs RCB Women?
Our preview favours Mumbai Indians Women, thanks to their retained top order and all-round depth.
What do we know about the head-to-head record?
Last season the two sides split their meetings 1-1. Mumbai have won the WPL twice, while Royal Challengers won the 2024 title.
Where is the opening match played?
At Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on 9 January 2026, starting at 7:30 pm local time.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Mumbai Indians Women
- Amelia Kerr
- Hayley Matthews
- Nat Sciver-Brunt
- Harmanpreet Kaurc
- Sajeevan Sajana
- Amanjot Kaur
- Poonam Khemnar
- G Kamaliniwk
- Sanskriti Gupta
- Shabnim Ismail
- Saika Ishaque
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women
- Dayalan Hemalatha
- Smriti Mandhanac
- Grace Harris
- Richa Ghoshwk
- Nadine de Klerk
- Georgia Voll
- Pooja Vastrakar
- Shreyanka Patil
- Lauren Bell
- Arundhati Reddy
- Radha Yadav