RCB Women have qualified for the Final of the WPL 2026 by securing the top spot of the points table after thrashing UP Warriors Women, who are in last place of the points table.

After RCB Women chose to field first, UP Warriors Women scored 143/8 in 20 overs. In reply, RCB Women chased down the target in just 13.1 overs after losing only two wickets. 

See Also: Former RCB all-rounder named as Australia's all-format captain ahead of ICC T20 World Cup 2026

WPL 2026: RCB Women qualify for Final

With this solid win, RCB Women finished the league stage with 12 points in eight games, with six wins and two losses. UP Warriors Women are in the last position with only four points in seven games (two wins and five losses), as they only need some great luck to secure their Playoffs spot, even if they win their last fixture. 

In the WPL 2026 points table, Gujarat Giants Women are in second position with eight points (four wins and three losses), while Mumbai Indians Women and Delhi Capitals Women are in third and fourth positions, respectively, with six points in seven matches each. 

UP Warriors Women lost plot after their strong opening partnership broken

In the WPL 2026 match 18, UP Warriors openers, captain Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma, had a 74-run partnership for the first wicket. However, once that partnership was broken, they lost control due to losing wickets at regular intervals. Meg scored 41 off 30 balls with six fours and one six, while Deepti scored 55 runs off 43 balls with six fours and one six.

Among the RCB bowlers, Nadine de Klerk (4/22) picked up four wickets, while Grace Harris (2/22) got two wickets.   

RCB Women openers replied dominantly

In reply, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris had a solid 108-run partnership in just 9.1 overs for the first wicket. Before losing her wicket, Grace scored 75 off 37 balls with 13 fours and two sixes. Skipper Smriti remained not out for 54 off 27 balls with eight fours and two sixes. 

For her brilliant all-round performances, Grace Harris (2/22 & 75) won the Player of the Match award. 

Gujarat Giants kept their WPL 2026 playoff hopes alive with a thrilling three-run win over Delhi Capitals at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. In Match 17, GG defended 174 successfully, restricting Delhi to 171 for eight in a tense finish.

Batting first, Gujarat posted 174/9, with Beth Mooney anchoring the innings through a composed 58 off 46 balls. Anushka Sharma chipped in with a quick 39 from 25 deliveries, while Tanuja Kanwer added valuable late runs with 21 off 11. For Delhi, Shree Charani was the standout bowler, picking up 4/31 in her four overs.

Delhi’s chase never fully settled after they slipped to 85/5. Niki Prasad’s impressive 47 off 24 balls gave them hope, but Sophie Devine (4/37) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (3/20) held their nerve to seal a narrow win for Gujarat.

With only three league matches remaining in WPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the only side already assured of a playoff spot. The remaining four teams are still battling for the final two positions. Here’s how the qualification scenarios stack up.

1 Royal Challengers Bengaluru (10 points, NRR +0.947)

RCB began the tournament with five consecutive wins before losing their last two matches. Despite that dip, they remain in a commanding position.

A win against UP Warriorz in their final league match will take them to 12 points and confirm a direct entry into the final. Even if they lose that game, RCB are still highly likely to finish at the top, as Gujarat Giants are the only other team that can reach 10 points and are unlikely to overtake Bengaluru on net run rate.

2 Gujarat Giants (8 points, NRR -0.271)

Gujarat’s campaign has been a roller coaster. After two early wins, they suffered three straight defeats before bouncing back with consecutive victories. With eight points from seven matches, a win in their final league game will guarantee them a playoff berth, as no other team can reach 10 points in that scenario.

If GG lose to Mumbai Indians, things get complicated. They would then need UP Warriorz to lose to RCB and beat Delhi Capitals. In that case, GG and MI would finish on eight points, while DC and UPW would end on six. However, if multiple teams are tied on eight points, Gujarat’s inferior net run rate could still cost them a place in the playoffs.

3 Mumbai Indians (6 points, NRR +0.146)

Defending champions Mumbai Indians have also endured an inconsistent season, winning three of their seven matches so far. Their recent victory over RCB has kept them firmly in the hunt.

ALSO SEE: Why did Joe Root miss out on England’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad?

A win against Gujarat Giants in their final league match should be enough to secure qualification. If several teams finish on eight points, Mumbai’s relatively healthy net run rate is expected to work in their favour.

If MI lose to GG, they will need Delhi to lose to UP Warriorz and RCB to beat UPW. In that situation, MI, DC and UPW would all finish on six points, allowing Mumbai to progress on net run rate.

4 Delhi Capitals (6 points, NRR -0.164)

Delhi have mirrored Mumbai’s inconsistency. After starting with two losses, they won three of their next four games before losing narrowly to Gujarat. A victory over UP Warriorz in their final league match will take DC to eight points and confirm qualification. UPW would then remain on six points.

Delhi are also guaranteed to finish ahead of at least one of Gujarat or Mumbai. If GG beat MI, Mumbai will stay on six points. If MI beat GG, both MI and DC will have eight points, but Delhi’s net run rate would still keep them ahead of Gujarat in that scenario.

5 UP Warriorz (4 points, NRR -0.769)

UP Warriorz currently sit at the bottom of the table but are the only team with two matches remaining. They have four points from six games and still have an outside chance of making the playoffs.

UPW must win both their remaining matches against RCB and Delhi, and also hope that Gujarat beat Mumbai. That combination would leave RCB and GG on 10 points, with UPW sneaking into third place on eight points. If UPW finish on eight points alongside MI and GG, they will need a significant improvement in net run rate to stay ahead of at least one of those teams.

Should UPW lose to RCB and remain on six points, their qualification chances become extremely slim. They would then need a big win over Delhi and hope that Gujarat defeat Mumbai by a large margin, setting up a three-way tie on six points where net run rate would decide the final playoff spot.

The 16th match of the WPL 2026 was very special, which was between RCB Women and MI Women at Vadodara on Monday night (January 26). This match experienced the first-ever WPL century, as well as a stunning fight from Richa Ghosh in the chase. 

After the points table leader RCB Women chose to field first, the defending and record two-time champions MI Women scored 199/4 in 20 overs, thanks to the first-ever WPL century, as the English star Nat Sciver-Brunt scored 100 not out off 57 balls with 16 fours and one six.

In reply, RCB Women were once struggling at 35/5, from where Richa Ghosh produced a stunning counter-attacking knock to change the atmosphere. Although RCB Women lost the game, it became very close, as RCB Women lost the match by 15 runs after managing 184/9 in 20 overs.

The no.6 wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh scored 90 off 50 balls with the help of 10 fours and six sixes. The next batter Nadine de Klerk was their only other batter to manage the 20-run mark, as the South African scored 28 off 20 balls. Richa completed her fifty in 39 balls, which recovered their innings, while they were once out of the game comfortably.

Watch: Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube practicing right after India's emphatic win against New Zealand in 3rd T20I

Watch: Richa Ghosh hit three back-to-back fours

During her 90-run knock, Richa hit three consecutive fours to Amelia Kerr in the 16th over.

A hat-trick of fours 🔥

Richa Ghosh leading #RCB's fight in Vadodara 💪

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/yUHXkzVIZw #TATAWPL | #KhelEmotionKa | #RCBvMI | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/pyfGuIv6dL

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) January 26, 2026

Watch: Richa Ghosh hit three consecutive sixes

Later, in the 19th over, Richa slammed three back-to-back sixes in the first three balls. Only on the final ball of the match, she was caught out, but her innings will always be remembered as a great unbeatable example in women's cricket. 

6⃣, 6⃣, 6⃣ 💥

Richa Ghosh displayed her power with a brutal knock of 9⃣0⃣(50) 👏👏

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/yUHXkzVIZw #TATAWPL | #KhelEmotionKa | #RCBvMI | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/khKXH3sup9

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) January 26, 2026

Cricket excitement is at its peak in Vadodara as 2026 begins. Fans are eagerly waiting at Kotambi International Stadium for the Women’s Premier League match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI).

Before the game, RCB players Lauren Bell, Radha Yadav, and Shreyanka Patil entertained the crowd by dancing to the hit Bollywood song “Ladki Aankh Maare…” at a local event.

Vadodara is proving to be a cricket-loving city. The stadium is expected to be full on Monday, showing how popular women’s cricket has become. The city recently hosted an India–New Zealand men’s ODI, and now it is fully into the WPL action. On 24 January, nearly 25,000 fans watched RCB play Delhi Capitals. Tickets for the 26 January RCB vs MI match are already sold out, and a packed crowd is expected.

Watch the video here: 

Lauren Bell, Shreyanka Patil, and Radha Yadav dancing together during an RCB event in Vadodara.❤

Lauren Bell vibing to Indian songs 🇮🇳🎶 pic.twitter.com/BYHkPQm9ZU

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) January 26, 2026

RCB Draws Big Crowds as Women’s Cricket Gains Popularity

RCB matches are attracting huge crowds, showing the team’s strong fan following. During a recent event, three RCB players shared their interests off the field.

Lauren Bell said she enjoys drinking coffee, reading books, and listening to music in her free time. Shreyanka Patil revealed she is a big fan of Punjabi songs. Radha Yadav said the food she misses most on tour is home-cooked dal and rice, which she could eat every day.

Jemimah Rodrigues Led Delhi Capitals Beat RCB

Delhi Capitals, led by Jemimah Rodrigues, defeated RCB in a thrilling Women’s Premier League match at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. The win gave Delhi plenty of confidence for the rest of the season, especially since Smriti Mandhana’s RCB team was unbeaten until then.

In the match, RCB struggled with the bat in the first innings. Mandhana scored 38 runs, but most other players failed to score, with eight players making single-digit runs. Nandini Sharma took three wickets and became the leading wicket-taker of the season. Chinelle Henry, Marizanne Kapp, and Minnu Mani took two wickets each, as RCB scored only 109 runs.

During Delhi’s chase, they lost two early wickets and were 24/2. Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt then made a 48-run partnership, leading the team to victory.

Also read -“My only response is…” former Indian captain makes massive claim on Gautam Gambhir ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

RCB Partnership Promotes Women's Empowerment

Vinay Thadani, CEO and Director of Grey Solar, said the company organised a meet-and-greet as part of its partnership with RCB in the Women’s Premier League.

“Our tie-up with RCB is an important step for women's empowerment. About 35% of our workforce is women. This partnership fits our company’s values,” he said.

Vadodara Emerging as a Cricket Hub

In the past year, Vadodara has hosted 27 cricket matches. The modern facilities at Kotambi International Cricket Stadium are appreciated by players. With growing fan interest and frequent high-profile matches, women’s cricket is clearly gaining popularity in the city.

Fans in Vadodara got a surprise treat as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) women’s players Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, and Lauren Bell were spotted on the streets on Wednesday, ahead of their WPL 2026 matches in the city.

The trio, in Vadodara for the league, were seen casually enjoying the city’s sights, giving fans a rare look at their off-field side. Their short appearance quickly caught attention on social media, with cricket fans sharing photos and videos of the international stars.

While their focus is on the ongoing WPL tournament, this casual outing showed the growing excitement and fan engagement around the women’s league, as supporters cheer for their favorite players both on and off the field.

Watch the video here :

Lauren Bell, Nadine De Klerk and Georgia Voll enjoying morning walk ❤️‍🔥

pic.twitter.com/nhI6rSIgge

— RCB TWEETS (@fcRCBtweets) January 21, 2026

Also read -PCB writes to ICC supporting Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2026 controversy

RCB Maintains Winning Streak in WPL 2026

Bengaluru continued their brilliant form in the first match of the season at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara, after the tournament moved from Navi Mumbai. RCB won their fifth match in five games this season, remaining the only unbeaten team so far.

With this win, RCB have secured a spot in the playoffs with 10 points from five matches. They also set a new WPL record by becoming the first team to win six matches in a row. Previously, they had a five-match winning streak in 2024-25. The only other team with five consecutive wins were the Mumbai Indians, who did this twice in 2023 and 2023-24. RCBW were tied with them but are now above them.

Read More -Star India opener likely to represent Karnataka for the upcoming Ranji Trophy 2026

Ball Girl Steals Spotlight with Hat-Trick of Bottle Flips in WPL 2026

A fun and unexpected moment stole the show during the WPL 2026 match between UP Warriorz and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. A young ball girl amazed fans by landing a hat-trick of bottle flips along the boundary line.

The incident happened between plays when the ball girl quietly showed off her skills. With perfect timing, she landed three flips in a row, making the crowd cheer loudly.

Viral Moment Draws Attention Online

Videos of the moment quickly went viral on social media. Fans praised the young girl’s confidence and style. The playful act added a light touch to an intense match and drew reactions from both teams and spectators.

Cricket fans and commentators shared clips and memes, celebrating the fun and charm of the ball girl’s performance. Many noted that cricket matches can have surprises not only on the field but also around it. This moment became one of the most talked-about highlights of the day.

RCB Women have continued their flying run in the WPL 2026, as they have recorded their five out of five victories to secure their place at least for the playoffs of the season after thrashing Gujarat Giants Women by 61 runs.

RCB Women set new record in WPL

After Gujarat Giants Women captain Ashleigh Gardner chose to field first at Vadodara on Monday night (January 19), RCB scored 178/6 in 20 overs. In reply, Gujarat Giants were restricted to 117/8 in 20 overs. It was the sixth successive WPL victory for RCB, which set a new record for most successive wins in WPL history. Previously, five consecutive WPL wins records were jointly held by Mumbai Indians twice and RCB once.  

GG Women vs RCB Women: RCB Women recovered from a poor start

Before reaching 10 runs, RCB lost their two wickets, as the opener Grace Harris and the no.3 batter Georgia Voll both were dismissed for only one run. Captain and the other opener Smriti Mandhana and Gautami Naik had a 60-run partnership for the third wicket. Smriti was dismissed for 26 off 23 balls with four fours.

Then Gautami and Richa Ghosh had a 69-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Richa scored 27 off 20 balls with three sixes, while Gautami slammed 73 off 55 balls with seven fours and one six. Also, Radha Yadav later slammed 17 off eight balls with two fours and one six. 

Among the Giants bowlers, Kashvee Gautam (2/38) and skipper Ashleigh Gardner (2/43) picked up two wickets each. 

WPL 2026: Points Table, Leading run scorers and wicket takers after GGW vs RCBW match 12

GG Women vs RCB Women: Only Gujarat Giants skipper had some replies

In reply, only four Giants batters recorded double-digit scores in the chase, while only the captain Ashleigh Gardner reached the 20-run mark by scoring 54 off 43 balls with five fours and one six, but there was not enough support for her. 

All five RCB bowlers handled the second innings strongly, while Sayali Satghare (3/21) picked up three wickets and Nadine de Klerk (2/17) took two wickets. 

RCB Women claimed a big win against Delhi Capitals Women on Saturday night (January 17) during the 11th match of the WPL 2026, where the skipper Smriti Mandhana scored a match-winning 96 runs after her new-ball bowlers dominated. 

While RCB Women chose to field first, Delhi Capitals Women were all out for 166 runs in 20 overs. In reply, RCB Women chased down the target in 18.2 overs after losing only two wickets. 

WPL 2026: Points Table, Leading run scorers and wicket takers after DCW vs RCBW match 11

Delhi Capitals recovered from horrible start

Delhi Capitals were down to 10/4 in the second over of the match, as Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare both picked up two wickets each. Opener Shafali Verma then had a 59-run partnership with Niki Prasad (12) for the fifth wicket. Sneh Rana later scored a run-ball 22 runs, while she had a 34-run partnership with Shafali for the seventh wicket.

Shafali scored 62 off 41 balls with five fours and four sixes, and the no.10 batter Lucy Hamilton was the second most run-scorer in the innings with 36 off 19 balls with three fours and three sixes. 

Among RCB bowlers, Lauren Bell (3/26) and Sayali Satghare (3/27) got three wickets each, while Prema Rawat (2/16) took two wickets.  

RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana missed century

In reply, although the opener Grace Harris (1) was dismissed cheaply in the third over after the 14-run partnership for the first wicket, skipper Smiri Mandhana had a strong 142-run partnership for the second wicket with Georgia Voll, which was enough for them to secure their four out of four victories. Smriti scored 96 off 61 balls with 13 fours and three sixes, as we are still waiting for the first WPL century. Georgia remained not out for 54 off 42 balls with five fours and two sixes. 

With three out of three wins, WPL 2024 champions RCB Women are leading the points table of the WPL 2026 with six points, as they defeated Gujarat Giants Women by 32 runs on Friday night (January 16) during the ninth match of the tournament.

After Gujarat Giants chose to field first, RCB scored 182/7 in 20 overs. In reply, the Giants were bowled out for only 150 runs, as the RCB claimed a comfortable victory. 

WPL 2026: Points Table, Leading run scorers and wicket takers after RCBW vs GGW

WPL 2026, GG Women vs RCB Women: Radha Yadav and Richa Ghosh rescued before Nadine de Klerk's game-changing cameo

At the end of the powerplay, RCB were struggling at 45/4, as only the opener Grace Harris (17) managed a double-digit score among the top four batters. Radha Yadav and Richa Ghosh rescued RCB with a 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket. While Richa scored 44 off 28 balls with four fours and two sixes, Radha scored 66 off 47 balls with six fours and three sixes. Also, Nadine de Klerk had a strong cameo of 26 from just 12 balls with two fours and two sixes. 

Among the Giants bowlers, Sophie Devine (3/31) got three wickets, and Kashvee Gautam (2/42) picked up two wickets. 

WPL 2026, GG Women vs RCB Women: Shreyanka Patil claimed fifer

In reply, the Giants' openers Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney provided a 34-run partnership for the first wicket before regular wickets falling drastically changed the situation. From 70/5, Kashvee Gautam and Bharti Fulmali brought the team back to the fight with a 56-run partnership for the sixth wicket, but once that partnership was broken, RCB bowlers dominated to bowl out their opponents. 

Only three Giants batters managed to reach the 20-run mark. Apart from the opener Beth Mooney (27), the other two names were Bharti (39) and Tanuja Kanwar (21).

RCB off-spinner Shreyanka Patil claimed a five-wicket haul, as she delivered the fourth-best bowling figures in the tournament history with the figures of 3.5-0-23-5. It was also the second-best bowling figures in the competition history by a spinner, just behind RCB spinner Asha Sobhana's 5/22 against UP Warriorz Women in 2024. Also, Lauren Bell got three wickets, as she had the bowling figures of 4-0-29-3. 

For her brilliant batting performance, Radha Yadav was selected for the Player of the Match award. 

Ahead of the fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that a mega auction will be held in the final week of November, reshaping the squads for the next cycle. All five franchises submitted their lists of retained and released players on November 5, with the official announcement scheduled to air tonight on Star Sports after the India vs Australia 4th T20I.

The WPL’s new retention policy allows franchises to retain a maximum of five players, up to three Indian players and two overseas internationals.

Retention Price Slabs

Teams that retain fewer than five players will receive Right to Match (RTM) cards during the auction. For instance, a team retaining only two players will be granted three RTM cards.

WPL 2026 Mega Auction Details

• Date: November 27, 2025
• Venue: New Delhi
• Total Purse: ₹15 crore per team

Franchise-Wise Retentions and Purse Remaining

Mumbai Indians (MI)

When everyone expected Harmanpreet Kaur to be the top retention after a successful year leading India to the ODI World Cup title, the Mumbai Indians surprised everyone by naming Nat Sciver-Brunt as their top pick for ₹3.5 crore.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹5.75 crore

ALSO SEE: Australian batting collapse set their unwanted home T20I record during AUS vs IND 4th T20I

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

The defending champions retained their strong core led by Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry. Newly appointed head coach Malolan Rangarajan expressed his excitement about shaping the next chapter for RCB Women.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹6.15 crore

Delhi Capitals (DC)

Delhi went for a balanced mix of Indian and overseas talent. Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma continue to headline their batting unit, while the addition of young all-rounder Niki Prasad gives them a long-term prospect.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹5.7 crore

Gujarat Giants (GG)

The Giants have chosen to go with just two overseas retentions, both superstars of the women’s game, leaving themselves plenty of flexibility with a large auction purse.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹9 crore

UP Warriorz (UPW)

UP Warriorz have gone with a clean slate, retaining only one player, Shweta Sehrawat, which gives them the largest purse heading into the auction.

Retained Players:

Purse Remaining: ₹14.5 crore

Big Names Released Ahead of the Mega Auction

Several marquee players are reportedly heading into the auction pool this year, making it one of the most anticipated drafts yet.

Top 5 Potential Releases:

• Meg Lanning
• Sophie Ecclestone
• Deepti Sharma
• Alyssa Healy
• Laura Wolvaardt

The WPL 2026 mega auction promises to be a blockbuster event. With franchises reshaping their cores and big international names set to go under the hammer, expect plenty of surprises and record-breaking bids on November 27.

The next few weeks will define how the WPL’s fourth edition shapes up, and which team builds the next championship-winning combination.

RCB title defence has come to an end where they missed their chase by 18 runs which marks their 5th loss in a row. RCB had a thin chance if they would have pulled this one. UP Warriorz put up one hell of a show where Georgia Voll toiled the RCB bowlers scoring 99 runs accompanied by her Kiran Navgirer who scored 46 runs from 16 balls. RCB bowlers were punished in every part of the ground. It seemed RCB bowlers didn't want to play the game they were rusty on the pitch. 

Rest of the things were taken care of Voli and their mates. Either they were getting full toss or a half volley where they just enjoyed the batting or thrashed the bowlers completely. It's RCB straight fifth loss and becomes first team to be out from WPL 2025.

Read more: Indian Captain Rohit Sharma Has To Rise Up In The Occassion

RCB Bowlers Were On Hunt

It was a must-win match for RCB in the Lucknow ground where the home team had chosen batting first. Grace Harris and George Voli started the proceedings sorry assualting. Grace started the proceedings by hitting continuous 5 boundaries and was timing the ball well but unfortunately, she couldn't able to stay long gone for well make 39 runs. Then came Kiran but at that time Voli had surreal them with her expensive blows. 

But now it was more trouble to ask as 16 years Kiran Navgire started hitting sixes was blasting the ball 5 times she made 46 runs off 16 balls finally caught by Perry and bowled by Wareham though wickets were trembling at one end Voli's assault didn't stop scored a 50 in 22 balls after that she just aiming for the shorter boundaries it was well-structured innings Voli went not out scoring 99 runs out of 56 balls. Up Warriors scored 225 with the loss of 5 wickets. 

RCB Out Of The Tournament

 After losing 4 matches on the trot RCB had the last chance to stay in the league by beating UP now to win they had to chase a huge target. In reply of chase captain Smriti Mandhna and Meghna came to the crease. Smriti is having the worst form ever, even in the last 4 games she didn't do much and is the reason for RCB's failure too. This time too Smiriti went early hitting just one four after the next ball she got caught in the hands of Voli.

Read more: Virat Kohli Suffers An Injury Scare Ahead Of Big Final Against New Zealand

Meghna and Perry tried a bit but couldn't hold on for a while they too departed soon scoring 27 and 28 runs and RCB looked helpless. Raghvi Bhist to went early scoring only 12 runs. Then Richa Gosh exploded the innings and tried to put up a fight it was a dangerous call for Up as Richa started hitting boundaries continuously but other end wickets were trembling. Richa made a very well fifty in 28 balls but her efforts too were not enough to get RCB over the line as they were all out for 213 losing the match by 18 runs and out from the tournament.