WPL 2026, Match 16: Sciver-Brunt ton leads MI to win despite Ghosh's late challenge

The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 is heading towards the business end as the fight for the two remaining spots for the knockouts is heating up. Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) locked horns in Match 16 at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Monday, January 26. RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bowl first. The team remained unchanged while MI brought back Amelia Kerr in place of injured Nicola Carey.

MI opener Hayley Matthews looked positive right from the start as the West Indian struck the first ball of the innings for four. Sajeevan Sajana, too, showed intent but the 31-year-old could not last long as Lauren Bell trapped her in front for a run-a-ball seven. Nat Sciver-Brunt joined Matthews, but the duo could not cut loose in the powerplay as MI were able to score 38 runs only.

But, the tables turned in the eighth over delivered by Shreyanka Patil which yielded 11 runs. Sciver-Brunt had already found the gaps for boundaries and Matthews joined the party as well in this over. The partnership crossed the 50-run mark as MI were 76/1 at the halfway mark.

RCB started to lose their way very soon as they conceded 67 runs in the next four overs. The batters, Sciver-Brunt in particular, went berserk as the all-rounder reached her half century in 32 balls. Matthews, too, achieved her fifty during the four-over onslaught but the 27-year-old (56 off 39) could not go big afterwards as Bell struck again to end the 131-run partnership.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came in next and the pair continued to score at pace. But, the aggressive right-hander departed soon for 20(12) while attempting to up the ante further. Amanjot Kaur (4 off 4) joined Sciver-Brunt as the latter was navigating the nervous nineties. Going into the last over with just one run needed for her century, the English all-rounder was made to wait but ultimately got there off the fourth ball.

Sciver-Brunt became the first-ever centurion of the WPL, breaking the barrier in the fourth season of the league. MI ended the innings at 199/4 as the all-rounder finished unbeaten on 100 off 57 balls, hitting 16 fours and a six. For RCB, Bell was the standout performer with figures of 4-0-21-2 as no other bowler was economical.

Mandhana and Grace Harris were off to a flying start with the latter even smashing Sciver-Brunt for three consecutive fours in the second over. However, Shabnim Ismail found the edge of Harris (15 off 9) in the third over. Mandhana (6 off 7), too, followed her partner to the pavilion an over later as RCB's wings were clipped.

MI found the opening and did not let it close as the Women in Blue struck thrice subsequently. The middle order collapsed, leaving RCB at 35/5 at the start of the sixth over.

Nadine de Klerk and Richa Ghosh came together to take the team to a respectable position and formed a 42-run partnership before the South African was caught in the deep for 28(20). Ghosh was going well and the keeper-batter formed crucial partnerships, first with Arundhati Reddy (14 off 18) and lastly with Shreyanka (12* off 5).

The required run rate was too steep, but it did not matter to Ghosh as the 22-year-old hammered all the bowlers. The victory looked improbable for the most part and so the batters were at least trying to minimise the margin of defeat.

With 28 runs needed off the last four balls the game was mathematically over for RCB. Ghosh, who could have scored a century, missed out in the last over as she finished at a magnificent 90(50). Her innings comprised 10 fours and six sixes as RCB lost by 15 runs. As a matter of fact, this was their second consecutive defeat.

For MI, Matthews (3/10) and Ismail (2/25) were the best bowlers. For her stupendous knock, Sciver-Brunt was adjudged as the Player of the Match.