Mumbai Indians clawed their way back into the WPL 2026 contest through a moment of sheer class from Amelia Kerr, as the off-spinner produced a decisive over to derail Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s chase at the DY Patil Stadium. With RCB looking settled at 90/5 in pursuit of 155 and the asking rate still manageable, the game hinged on one breakthrough to shift momentum. Kerr delivered exactly that, and more, by striking twice in the same over, removing the dangerous Richa Ghosh and cleaning up Radha Yadav with a beauty. The double blow left RCB needing 65 runs from 43 balls, suddenly exposed in the lower middle order. It was the kind of over that doesn’t just take wickets, but flips belief. MI’s body language lifted instantly, the crowd found its voice, and the chase tilted sharply.

WPL 2026, MI-W vs RCB-W: Amelia Kerr removes Richa Ghosh and Radha Yadav in the Same Over 

The big strike was the Richa one, and Kerr knew it. Tossing the ball up full and just outside off, she tempted Richa Ghosh into going aerial over long-off, a shot RCB desperately needed in that phase. Ghosh didn’t quite get under it, and the ball flew flatter than intended, allowing Alex Carey to judge it perfectly, move left, leap, and complete a sharp catch under pressure. Ghosh’s reaction said it all, head thrown back, disbelief written across her face, because MI had just removed RCB’s most explosive finisher for 6 off 6 balls.

Just a few deliveries earlier, Kerr went quicker and smarter, unleashing a perfectly disguised googly to Radha. Bowled on a teasing length outside off, the ball dipped late, spun viciously, and left Radha completely clueless as she lunged forward, playing for turn that never came. The googly ripped past the inside edge and crashed into middle and leg, a dismissal that underlined Kerr’s control, deception, and confidence under pressure. Two wickets in an over, both different in execution, both devastating in impact. From a steady chase to a nervy scramble, RCB suddenly found themselves relying on tail-end resistance.

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Kerr’s twin strikes Put Mumbai Indians firmly in control against RCB

Mumbai have seized a strong grip on the opening night of WPL 2026 as Bengaluru find themselves under mounting pressure at 118/6 after 16.3 overs, still needing 37 runs from 21 balls. What once looked like a competitive chase has steadily slipped away from RCB, largely due to MI’s disciplined middle-overs bowling and timely breakthroughs.

Kerr has been the standout, conceding just 13 runs in her four overs while picking up two massive wickets, effectively stalling RCB’s momentum when the game was finely balanced. Her dismissals of Richa and Radha in the same over triggered a collapse that RCB have struggled to recover from. Earlier, the chase promised fireworks as Grace Harris smashed 25 off just 12 balls and Smriti Mandhana struck a fluent 18, racing RCB to 57/2 inside the powerplay. However, once Shabnim Ismail and Nat Sciver-Brunt applied the brakes, the tempo dipped sharply.

The loss of Mandhana, Harris, Hemalatha and then the quick double blow from Kerr reduced RCB to 65/5 inside eight overs, completely shifting the pressure onto the lower order. Nadine de Klerk has fought admirably with an unbeaten 32 off 28 balls, anchoring the innings, while Arundhati Reddy supported her with a gritty 20, but the required rate has crept beyond 10 an over. MI’s fielding intensity has been equally decisive, highlighted by sharp catches from Carey and Ismail that snuffed out any hopes of a late surge.

Also READ: WPL 2026: Here’s why Hayley Matthews is not playing today’s MI-W vs RCB-W match

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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