WPL 2026: RCB storm into playoffs; What’s driving their success this season?

WPL 2026: RCB storm into the playoffs – the key reasons why this season is shaping up special for them.

With five wins in five games of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (RCB-W) have cemented their place at the top of the points’ table. They also carry a strong net run rate (NRR) of +1.88. For the franchise’s fans, spotting a ‘Q’ beside their name at the halfway mark of the competition comes as a cultural shock.

In the previous season, the Smriti Mandhana-led side made a clinical start to the competition. However, they slipped in the second half, losing four of their last five matches. This season, though, the story has been quite different for the WPL 2024 champions, who have looked switched on in all three departments right from the start of the tournament.

Let’s reflect on what’s driving RCB-W’s success in WPL 2026.

Different match-winners for RCB-W in various situations
RCB-W have had a different batting hero in each of their five games. It includes Nadine de Klerk, Grace Harris, Radha Yadav, captain Mandhana, and the young Gautami Naik.

In the very first game against the Mumbai Indians Women (MI-W), Nadine de Klerk was on 36 off 33 balls when they needed 29 runs off the last 12 deliveries. The equation then dropped to 18 runs required in the final over. Klerk, after failing to make an impact in the first couple of balls, nailed a massive six over the long-off region. The South Africa batter collected another couple of boundaries and a six to complete a stunning chase.

The second game at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai was all about Grace Harris’ aggressive opening batting. Chasing a low score of 144 against the UP Warriorz, Bengaluru were presented with an opportunity to strengthen their net run rate. Harris contributed with a strong knock of 85 runs in just 40 balls, thanks to 10 boundaries and five sixes to finish the successful chase in just 12.1 overs.

Four evenings later, Bengaluru found themselves limping at 43/4 inside the powerplay. That was when Radha Yadav played a mature knock of 66 runs in 47 balls, shouldering six boundaries and three sixes. The right-handed batter celebrated a 105-run stand for the fifth wicket with Richa Ghosh (44), which pushed RCB over the 180-run mark. It ultimately helped Mandhana & Co. secure a 32-run victory. 

Just 24 hours later, Smriti Mandhana put up a sensational knock of 96 runs in only 61 deliveries. The southpaw, who was short of runs heading into this clash, maintained a strike rate of 157.38 with the help of 13 boundaries and three sixes. Her 142-run stand with Georgia Voll took them over the line against the Gujarat Giants (GG) comfortably by eight wickets.

Finally, in RCB’s last group-stage clash yet, young Gautami Naik contributed with a splendid 73-run knock, having walked in at 69/3 in 9.3 overs. For the most part, she maintained a run-a-ball scoring rate before playing the pick-up shots over deep square leg.

Naik impressed with seven boundaries and one six to push RCB-W to 178, which earned them a 61-run win. This became RCB’s biggest victory margin in terms of runs in WPL history.

Read More: What makes Nadine de Klerk the most fearsome power-hitter in women’s cricket?

Self-belief & mutual confidence – RCB-W’s mantra
Bengaluru are just the second team to start their WPL campaign with five wins after the Mumbai Indians Women. The two-time champions won their first five fixtures in the inaugural season in 2023. This is also just the third instance of five different players winning the ‘Player of the Match’ awards in five matches for a WPL franchise. The same incident happened for MI-W in 2023 and RCB-W in 2024. 

Self-belief and mutual confidence seem to be the secret for Bengaluru this season. For any such league event, the relation between the junior and senior players, both on and off the field, remains vital. For this Bengaluru squad, the backroom staff has played a significant role in fostering that environment.

It was a surreal moment to see Mandhana make a wonderful gesture by letting Naik lead the team off the field after their fifth consecutive win. A similar scene unfolded when Sayali Satghare led the team off the field after her 3/27 helped bundle out the Delhi Capitals Women (DC-W) for 166. Satghare also shone against the Gujarat Giants with 3/21.

Lauren Bell, playing her very first season of the WPL, has picked up nine wickets in five innings so far. What stands out most about the England pacer is her ability to bag crucial wickets. Against Delhi, she dismissed Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt, while against Gujarat, Bell sent back the opposition captain, Ashleigh Gardner.

De Klerk is so far their leading wicket-taker with 10 scalps in five innings at 13.20. Shreyanka Patil has contributed nine wickets at 18.66. In the batting department, Mandhana is their leading run-getter with 192 runs at 48.00. In the absence of Ellyse Perry for the 2026 season, the side has done an admirable job of covering for their star player.

Bengaluru’s only objective now will be to ensure they do not lose the momentum they built, as they did in the previous season during the business end. Staying at the top until the end of the group stage and securing direct qualification to the final will be crucial. RCB’s next encounter is scheduled for January 24 against the DC-W at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara.

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