De Klerk, Harris Power RCB into WPL 2026 Final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stormed into the final of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 with a dominant victory over UP Warriorz (UPW) in Vadodara, powered by Nadine de Klerk’s incisive bowling and a turbo-charged knock from Grace Harris.

On a surface that appeared challenging for batting, UPW struggled to generate momentum after being sent in. While openers Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma provided a solid start, the rest of the batting lineup failed to accelerate, with none managing a strike rate above 100. UPW eventually posted 143 for 8, a total that was never enough against RCB’s formidable batting unit.

Deepti, opening the innings for the first time in the WPL, struck her fourth half-century of the league, reaching the milestone in 40 balls. Alongside Lanning, she helped UPW record their first wicketless powerplay against RCB this season. After a cautious start that yielded just 12 runs in the first three overs, the pair lifted the tempo, adding 38 runs in the next three to reach 50 without loss.

The momentum continued briefly as both batters found boundaries with regularity, pushing the run rate past nine an over. However, Nadine de Klerk turned the game decisively in RCB’s favour. She dismissed Lanning at the start of the ninth over and removed Amy Jones four balls later, triggering a collapse that UPW could not recover from.

The middle overs proved particularly damaging for UPW, who managed just 32 runs for the loss of four wickets. Deepti, despite her earlier fluency, was tied down during this phase. De Klerk returned at the death to strike twice more, finishing with figures of 4 for 22. Her haul took her to 15 wickets for the season, equalling Sophie Devine’s record for the most wickets in a single WPL edition and the highest by an RCB bowler.

Grace Harris also played a key role with the ball, claiming two wickets, as UPW managed only 21 runs for four wickets in the final overs.

RCB’s chase was headlined by Harris’ explosive batting display. After Kranti Gaud began with a tidy spell, Harris tore into her in the third over, smashing five fours to seize control of the innings. Harris raced to a half-century off just 28 balls and eventually scored 75 off 37 deliveries before being dismissed, effectively ending UPW’s hopes.

At the other end, Smriti Mandhana ensured there was no let-up. She lofted Sophie Ecclestone over mid-on to signal her intent and later punished Chloe Tryon’s left-arm spin with three consecutive fours. Mandhana brought up her fifty off just 26 balls, even quicker than Harris, as RCB cruised to victory.

The emphatic win capped a dominant league stage for RCB, who finished with six wins from eight matches. The top finish earns them a direct berth in the final and a week’s break ahead of the title clash next Thursday.