The Women’s Premier League 2026 is going to kick off on January 9, and the excitement is already buzzing off the field. Ahead of the new season, players were seen sharing laughs, friendly banter, and relaxed moments to show the lighter side of the tournament.

During a recent pre-tournament show, UP Warriorz skipper Meg Lanning stole the spotlight with a playful moment involving the Delhi Capitals skipper, Jemimah Rodrigues. The clip immediately went viral, with people loving the lighthearted exchange between the two famous cricketers.

All five WPL team captains were present at the event, including Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. Seated together, they took part in a casual chat with the hosts, setting a cheerful tone just days before the tournament begins.

Lanning’s fun sledge brings laughs before WPL 2026

During a truth-or-dare segment, Meg Lanning was dared to sledge Jemimah Rodrigues. The moment was extra special, as Rodrigues had previously played under Lanning when she captained Delhi Capitals in earlier WPL seasons.

Lanning, who was released by Delhi Capitals ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction, was later picked by UP Warriorz and named their captain. She had spent three seasons with Delhi Capitals since the league began, making the exchange feel personal but friendly. Responding to the dare, Lanning said, “So now you know how your fielders feel when they don't listen to you and keep dancing on the field.” That comment brought loud laughter around the table, with Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana enjoying the moment the most.

Watch the video here

Meg was clearly a bit annoyed by Jemi dancing on the field during matches... lol🤣🤣🤣😅😅
Also the way harman reacted ..xd https://t.co/kIuqvs8Siy pic.twitter.com/Btn2nwbKZ7

— Bonny 🎀💕 (@harryjeee) January 8, 2026

See Also: WPL 2026, Match 1: MIW vs RCBW head-to-head, weather & pitch report, predicted playing XIs

Apart from that, The Mumbai Indians Women will start their title defense in the opening match against Royal Challengers Bangalore Women on January 9 at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, which promises an exciting start to WPL 2026.

The Mumbai Indians Women will take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women in the opening match of the Women's Premier League 2026 on Friday at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. Both teams start their campaign with high hopes, and the season opener is expected to be one of the most exciting contests.

The Mumbai Indians Women, the defending champions, after they lifted the WPL 2025 title. Under Harmanpreet Kaur, they have a strong and balanced team. The RCB Women, captained by Smriti Mandhana, lifted the title in 2024 and would look at beating the reigning champions. With a mixture of experienced players and young talented players, both teams will be looking to start the season on a winning note.

MIW vs RCBW: Head-to-Head Record

• Matches Played: 7
  
• Mumbai Indians Women Won: 4
  
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Won: 3
  
• Tied / No Result: 0

MIW vs RCBW: Weather & Pitch Report

The weather in Navi Mumbai will be good, with the temperature going to stay between 21°C and 31°C and clear and sunny skies. Humidity is supposed to be around 50–55%, and there is only an extremely small chance of rain, and hence a full match is expected. A gentle breeze of about 9 km/h will keep things pleasant. The dew is expected in the second innings. which might help the team batting later.

The pitch at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy usually favors batters. Chasing teams often do well here because the ball comes nicely onto the bat due to dew. The average first-innings score is around 150–160, which is easy to chase with a solid batting effort. Bowlers will need to stay tight and disciplined, as loose balls can go for runs quickly.

See Also: BBL 2025-26 Match 28: HUR vs STR head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

MIW vs RCBW: Predicted Playing XIs

Mumbai Indians Women (MIW):

Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, G Kamalini (WK), Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque, Sajeevan Sajana, Sanskriti Gupta, Poonam Khemnar

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (RCBW):

Smriti Mandhana (C), Nadine de Klerk, Shreyanka Patil, Pooja Vastrakar, Richa Ghosh (WK), Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Georgia Voll, Lauren Bell, Gautami Naik, Linsey Smith

RCB, after the start they had, will not be making the playoffs. The defending champions could not get going with the batting looking terribly out of sorts and the bowling looking inconsistent. The best they can do now is deny Mumbai a spot in the Final by beating them to ensure they go through the qualifier for the trophy.

MIW vs RCBW Match Details

Date: March 11th, 2025

Time:  7:30 PM IST

Venue: Brabourne Stadium

MIW vs RCBW Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice evening is expected for the game.

MIW vs RCBW Pitch Report

Brabourne has been pretty good to bat on particularly in the second innings. Runs are coming well later on with some inital dryness allowing the ball to stop and turn. Batting second though continues to be the better option.

See Also: MIW vs RCB Dream XI Prediction

MIW vs RCBW Predicted Playing XI

MIW Playing XI

Hayley Mathews, Yastika Bhatia, Nat Sciver Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr, S Sajana, G Kamalini, Amanjot Kaur, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Parunika Sisodia

RCBW Playing XI

Smriti Mandhana, Danni Wyatt Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bisht, Richa Ghosh, Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Sneh Rana, Kim Garth, Ekta Bisht, Renuka Singh 

MIW vs RCBW Key Players

Ellyse Perry

Perry has been the inform batter this season. The top order has struggled for runs which has led to Perry playing some rescue acts and she will have to do it once more in a crucial juncture of the tournament.

Amanjot Kaur

Amanjot Kaur made the previous game all about her. She took wickets and came up with some crucial runs to show that she too can be a pretty handy all-round option. She's had injury concerns keeping her out of national contention but now the form is coming back and she will be believing again.

MIW vs RCBW Match Tips

MI start favorites with RCB struggling to find batting form.

Match Prediction: Mumbai Indians Women Will Win the Match

MIW vs RCBW Match Preview

It is the final league game of the Women's Premier League 2025. The Mumbai Indians Women will face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women in the 20th game. The Mumbai Indians Women advanced to the next round with a victory over the Gujarat Giants Women and will aim to finish first in the points table. The RCB Women lost to the UP Warriorz and are not in contention for the next round. The two teams enter this match in very different forms. The Mumbai Indians Women have won four of their last five games and will look to advance directly to the final with a win. 

MIW vs RCBW Match Details 

Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore – 20th Match, WPL-2025

Venue: CCI-Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Date & Time: 11th March 2025 at 07:30 PM IST

Live Streaming: Disney+Hotstar

MIW vs RCBW Venue Stats

MIW vs RCBW Pitch Report

There is little known about this pitch. Although it appears to be a high-scoring venue, the most recent T20 game here was extremely low-scoring. We expect a good batting wicket this time.

MIW vs RCBW Weather Report

It is expected to be clear and sunny in Mumbai, with a high of 33 degrees Celsius. The weather would also be clear around match time in the evening.  

MIW vs RCBW Last Five Matches

MIW vs RCBW Head-to-Head Stats

Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction

MIW vs RCBW Probable Playing XIs:

Mumbai Indians Probable Playing XIs

Royal Challengers Bangalore Probable Playing XIs

Smriti Mandhana (c), Sabbhineni Meghana, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Charlotte Dean, Kim Garth, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh Thakur

Topmost Picks for MIW vs RCBW Dream11 Prediction:

Top Picks – Mumbai Indians

• Nat Sciver-Brunt – She maintained a unique average of 98.33 and amassed a total of 295 runs in 8 innings in the previous season.
• Amelia Kerr –  She took the highest number of wickets, 11 wickets in 8 matches for the team, and has a stunning strike rate as a batter.

Top Picks – Royal Challengers Bangalore

• Smriti Mandhana – She has scored 234 runs in her last 5 innings, with an average of 46.80. She is a top-order batsman who can anchor the innings for RCBW.
• Renuka Thakur Singh –  She took 5 wickets in 2 innings in the previous season, with an economy rate of 5.75 and best bowling figures of 3/23.

Suggested Playing XI N0.1 for Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Dream11 Team:

Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Smriti Mandhana, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews(VC), Nat Sciver-Brunt(C), Georgia Wareham, Renuka Thakur Singh, Shabnim Ismail

Suggested Playing XI N0.2 for Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Dream11 Team:

Richa Ghosh, Smriti Mandhana(C), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr(VC), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Georgia Wareham, Renuka Thakur Singh, Shabnim Ismail

Captain and Vice-Captain Options:

Captain – Nat Sciver-Brunt, Smriti Mandhana

Vice-captain – Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr

Wicketkeeper – Richa Ghosh

MIW vs RCBW Probable Winners:

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women have struggled this season, failing to capitalize on their batting power. The team will need a strong performance from its bowlers to stand a chance in this game. The Mumbai Indians Women boast a strong batting lineup as well as are in good form. Based on their current performance, we think the Mumbai Indians Women will start as favorites. Considering the team combination, Mumbai Indians is expected to win this match.