WPL 2026 | Match 16: RCB vs MI | Preview and Predictions 

Top of the table Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play a Mumbai Indians side desperate for wins in Match 16 of the 2026 Women’s Premier League season at Kotambi Stadium on 26th January 2026. 

Here is our Preview and Prediction for the game. 

Women’s Premier League 2026 | Match 16: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians | 19:30 IST, 26 January 2026 

Having gone five in five in the league phase, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally came undone in their last match against the Delhi Capitals. Asked to bat first, RCB were bundled out for just 109 in their 20 overs. In reply, DC comfortably chased down the score in the 16th over, winning by seven wickets. 

Despite the defeat, RCB have already qualified for the knockouts, however, they’d want to keep the momentum going. Skipper Smriti Mandhana leads the runscoring chart for the Challengers with 230 runs in six innings, Grace Harris has also done a decent job at the top with 138 runs, however, they’d definitely like to see some more from their middle-order. 

In the bowling department, it has been a complete team effort with Nadine de Klerk leading the way with 10 wickets while both Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil have nine wickets each. Given that they are the first team to book their place for the playoffs – that too with two games in hand – they can use these fixtures to fine tune certain aspects of their game that they feel they can still be better at. 

As for their opponents, the Mumbai Indians, Harmanpreet Kaur’s defending champions have gone off the boil in recent weeks, losing three on the bounce and another loss will gravely jeopardize their chances of making playoff spots. However, it isn’t just one department that’s struggling, both their batters and bowlers are struggling to stamp their authority in the middle.  

The top order has struggled to give meaningful starts with both Nat Sciver-Brunt and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur needing to anchor the innings and steady the ship rather than express themselves from the get go. As a result, despite being the team’s highest rungetters, they are both accumulating runs in the sub 140-range. Thus, getting their openers to give a good start has to be one of their top priorities in the upcoming games. 

Similarly, their bowlers have flattered to deceive so far this season. Amelia Kerr sits at the top with 10 wickets in five innings, however, there has been little assistance from elsewhere. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Nicola Carey both have taken seven wickets each, but Shabnim Ismail and Amanjot Kaur sitting next on the list with three wickets each highlight MI’s lack of wicket-taking threat. 

In terms of weather forecast and pitch report, conditions are expected to be clear and ideal for Cricket. Unlike DY Patil Sports Academy, runs have been hard to come by at the Kotambi Stadium with the slow nature of the wickets giving bowlers a slight edge. 

Looking ahead to this fixture, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are high on confidence with most parts of their machinery already clicking. The same cannot be said for the Mumbai Indians who look vulnerable both with bat and ball. Thus, we’re backing RCB to get back to winning ways. 

Fantasy XI: Grace Harris, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana (c), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Richa Ghosh, Nicola Carey, Nadine de Klerk, Amanjot Kaur, Lauren Bell (vc), Shreyanka Patil, Sayali Satghare

Venue: Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara 

Winners Prediction: Royal Challengers Bengaluru