Mumbai Indians Women vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women, WPL 2026: Who will today’s match?

WPL 2026 kicks off with the defending champions Mumbai Indians Women returning to action. The tournament opens with them taking on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

The opening fixture of WPL 2026 will be played on Friday night at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, beginning at 7:30 PM IST. The match ushers in a fresh season of competitive women’s cricket. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be without Ellyse Perry, while Mumbai Indians line up with a full-strength squad and clear intent to begin on a winning note.

MI vs RCB Match Details

Pitch report

The surface in Navi Mumbai is expected to be batting-friendly, offering true bounce and consistent pace. Stroke-making should be fluent, aided by compact boundary dimensions and a lightning-quick outfield. Chasing sides are likely to enjoy an added advantage under improved conditions.

How to Watch MI W vs RCB W Live: WPL 2026 Match 1 Streaming Guide

Live coverage of the 2026 Women’s Premier League will be on Star Sports networks nationwide. The contest will simultaneously be available for streaming on Jio Hotstar for subscribers.

MI vs RCB WPL head-to-head record

Across seven head-to-head encounters, the Mumbai Indians Women have emerged successful on four occasions, while the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women have secured three wins.

MI W vs RCB W probable top performers

Key batter to watch out for: Nat Sciver-Brunt

Nat Sciver-Brunt dominated the previous edition with the bat and continues to sit atop the all-time WPL run charts. For the Bengaluru side, Smriti Mandhana remains the standout, and with Perry unavailable, the responsibility at the top rests heavily on her shoulders.

Key Bowler to Watch Out For: Shabnim Ismail

Shabnim Ismail can provide early breakthroughs into play with her pace and aggression, remaining among the quickest operators in the women’s game. For Bengaluru, Radha Yadav offers control, regularly striking as batters look to consolidate.

MI W vs RCB W probable XI

MI: G. Kamalini, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amanjot Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Poonam Khemmar, S. Sajana, Saika Ishaque, Shabnim Ismail, Sanskrit Gupta

RCB: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (c), Georgia Voll, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Dayalan Hemalatha, Pooja Vastrakar, Linsey Smith, Arundhati Reddy

MI vs RCB Match Prediction

Perry’s absence leaves a visible gap in the RCB-W setup, while Mumbai look well-balanced across disciplines. On paper, MI-W hold the advantage heading into this contest.