Mumbai Indians Vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Preview, WPL 2026: Harmanpreet’s MI Face Mandhana’s RCB

The Women’s Premier League 2026 will kick off in style on Friday, 9 January, as two-time champions Mumbai Indians take on 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.

Fresh from their maiden ODI World Cup triumph, India’s stars will use the tournament to sharpen their T20 World Cup preparations ahead of the June-July showpiece in England.

Mumbai Indians arrive with arguably the strongest squad on paper, led by Harmanpreet Kaur. Their ranks include international heavyweights like England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, while New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and promising Australian pacer Milly Illingworth add firepower.

Dependable Indian batter Amanjot Kaur will anchor the innings alongside young talent G Kamalini, giving MI a formidable top order that could create selection dilemmas for the team management.

On the bowling front, veteran Shabnim Ismail leads an attack bolstered by Saika Ishaque, who will be eager to rediscover her best form after a mixed couple of seasons.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, under the leadership of Smriti Mandhana, will look to add another WPL title and start their campaign strongly. Mandhana remains the lynchpin for RCB, supported by Australia’s Georgia Voll and Grace Harris, and South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk, who will share the bulk of the batting responsibilities.

Explosive Richa Ghosh offers finishing firepower, while India’s Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, and England’s Lauren Bell lead the seam attack, with spin options from Linsey Smith, Radha Yadav, and Shreyanka Patil.

Fans won’t miss a moment of the action as MI-W vs RCB-W live streaming will be available on Jio Hotstar, with live TV coverage on Star Sports Network channels in India.

Beyond the opener, the WPL 2026 features other exciting teams looking to make their mark. Gujarat Giants, led by Ashleigh Gardner, will lean on overseas stars like Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine, while India’s Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad provide the domestic backbone.

UP Warriorz, captained by Meg Lanning, have revamped their squad and will look to combine Indian talent with international experience. Among all these sides, understanding the WPL 2026 captains will be key, as leadership could shape how far teams go in this competitive season.

The clash between MI and RCB promises fireworks at both ends. MI’s experienced campaigners and power-packed batting line-up will test RCB’s defence, while Mandhana and her team’s depth could challenge MI’s formidable attack.

With overseas stars and national talent shining side by side, this opening game is a perfect curtain-raiser for what promises to be an exciting Women’s Premier League 2026 season.

Mumbai Indians Vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Women’s Premier League 2026: Squads

Mumbai Indians Women Squad: Hayley Matthews, G Kamalini(w), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana, Poonam Khemnar, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Triveni Vasistha, Nalla Reddy, Rahila Firdous, Milly Illingworth, Saika Ishaque, Nicola Carey

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Squad: Smriti Mandhana(c), Georgia Voll, Gautami Naik, Grace Harris, Richa Ghosh(w), Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Arundhati Reddy, Lauren Bell, Kumar Prathyoosha, Sayali Satghare, Prema Rawat, Dayalan Hemalatha, Linsey Smith

With PTI Inputs