Radha, Shreyanka lead a team effort as RCB remains unbeaten after three matches in the 2026 WPL

Ashleigh Gardner won the toss and put the Royal Challengers Bangalore to bat first. The opening over itself saw itself enter the record books as Renuka Singh Thakur was hit for 23 runs, the most in the opening over of the WPL. But the Giants struck back immediately in the next over as Kashvee Gautam got Grace Harris plumb in front of the wicket in the first over, and later got Dayalan Hemalatha in her next.

Renuka redeemed herself in the powerplay itself as she got the better of the RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana who managed only five runs. In the final over of the powerplay, Sophie Devine got the wicket of Gautami Naik and RCB finished at 45/4 after six overs. In desperate need of a partnership, RCB found their saviors in the form of Radha Yadav and Richa Ghosh. It was Radha, who impressed with her maiden fifty in the WPL. Richa supported her from the other end with her routine aggressive play, and the duo stitched the highest-ever partnership for the fifth wicket in the WPL (105 runs).

Kashvee Gautam, who had an impressive numbers of 3-0-20-2, were soon spoiled by Nadine de Klerk, who hit 22 runs in the penultimate over of the innings. But the Giants applied some heavy brakes in the final over, courtesy of Devine who picked up two wickets and gave away only four runs in the final over of the innings.

Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith, who have been RCB’s premier bowlers in the powerplay were struck all over the ground in the first three overs. Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine were quick to get their team to 32 in only 3 overs. But it was the brilliance of Arundhati Reddy’s reflexes who managed to get the all-important of Devine off her own bowling. 23-year-old Shreyanka Patil then impressed everyone in what appeared as an apathetic review to get the wicket of Mooney. For the first time, the Giants could not cross 50 runs in the powerplay in this edition of the WPL.

Two new batters on the crease, and Mandhana brought back Bell into the attack. The English woman stuck to the plan, getting the Giants’ skipper Ash Garnder for only three runs. Shreyanka Patil did not allow the Giants to build a partnership, as a disciplined length ball got the confident-looking Kanika Ahuja leg before wicket.

Bharti Fulmali, who walked in with a strike rate of 158 against her name joined the experienced Aussie all-rounder Georgia Wareham. At this stage, the required run-rate had shot up to a little over 11. Radha Yadav, who had already impressed with the bat, gave away only five runs in her first over. In the next over, she took a running catch from deep mid-wicket to oust Wareham.

With half their side in the pavilion, Mandhana dropped a moonball off Fulmali at mid off who was then batting at 12 off 10 balls. Fulmali added salt to the wounds of the RCB by going on a rampage in the overs to follow. In no time, she dound herself at 39 off 19 balls. In the 16th over, Shreyanka was brought back into the attack, and she broke the partnership, as Grace Harris caught Kashvee Gautam at long on.

Tanuja Kanwer, who had managed a half century against Australia-A in August last year came to bat with the Giants needing 50 off the last four overs. She was quick to 12 off six deliveries, but could not forge a partnership as Fulmali was caught off a slower delivery from Bell with Harris completing yet another catch. Bell magnified the pressure, as she got debutant Shivani Singh out for a silver duck.

Shreyanka Patil put the final nail in the coffin, as she completed a five-wicket haul and became the youngest player to do so in the WPL. It marked the first insance in the history of the WPL when the Royal Challengers won their first three opening matches. Moreover, it also marks only the second instance where a team won a match after losing four wickets in the powerplay. Bangalore’s total of 182 is the highest for any team who lost four matches in the powerplay.

For the Gujarat Giants, after beginning their campaign with wins in two high-scoring matches, they now have lost consecutive matches. In their next match, they face RCB again, this time in Vadodara.