Vadodara: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) continued their winning streak in the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) by defeating Gujarat Giants by a commanding 61-run margin, securing their place in the playoffs.
Batting first, RCB posted 178/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Openers Grace Harris and Georgia Wareham fell early, leaving the team struggling at just 9 runs. However, Naik steadied the innings with a brilliant knock of 73 runs off 55 balls, including seven boundaries and a six. She shared a crucial 69-run partnership with Richa Ghosh, who scored 27 off 20 balls with three sixes. Captain Smriti Mandhana contributed 26 runs off 23 balls, helping RCB set a competitive total.
Chasing 179, Gujarat Giants struggled from the start. By the 7th over, they had lost four wickets for just 34 runs, with key batters Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, and Kanika Ahuja back in the pavilion. Captain Ashley Gardner scored 54 off 43 balls with five boundaries and a six, but lacked support from the other end. Gujarat finished at 117/8, falling short by 61 runs.
RCB’s bowling unit put in a dominant performance. Sayali Satghare took 3 wickets for 21 runs, Nadine de Klerk claimed 2 wickets, while Gautam and pacer Renuka Singh picked up 2 and 1 wickets respectively. Gujarat’s Gardner and Gautam managed two wickets each, and Sophie Devine and Renuka Singh took one apiece.
This victory marks RCB’s fifth consecutive win in five matches, maintaining their unbeaten streak in the tournament so far, while Gujarat has now suffered three losses in five games.
With this win, RCB has officially secured a playoff spot, keeping their title ambitions alive in WPL 2026.
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