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The match will begin with a clash between the Indian captain and vice-captain RCB vs MI.
The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, the biggest franchise tournament in women’s cricket, is starting today. The opening match of the season will be played between two-time champions Mumbai Indians and one-time winners Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB vs MI). This match will start at 7:30 PM at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. The RCB team will be looking to start the tournament with a win for the third consecutive year.
RCB vs MI full squad and win probability
| Indian Squad | Royal Challengers |
| Harmanpreet Kaur (C) | Georgia Voll |
| Amanjot Kaur | Smriti Mandhana (C) |
| Amelia Kerr | Arundhati Reddy |
| Helay Matthews | Dayalan Hemalatha |
| Nalla Reddy | Gautami Naik |
| Nat Sciver- Brunt | Grace Harris |
| Nicola Carey | Nadine De Klerk |
| Poonam Khemnar | Pooja Vastrakar |
| Sajeevan Sajana | Prema Rawat |
| Triveni Vasistha | Radha Yadav |
| Gunalan Kamalini (WK) | Sayali Satgahre |
| Rahila Firdous (WK) | Kumar Prathyoosha (WK) |
| Milly Illingworth | Richa Ghosh (WK) |
| Saika Ishaque | Lauren Bell |
| Shabnim Ismail & Sanskriti Gupta | Linsey Smith & Shreyanka Patil |
INDIANS 56% ROYAL CHALLENGERS 46%
Hearts, Heat & History: Inside the Most Intense Rivalries of TATA WPL 2026
RCB, the champions of the 2024 season, had won their opening match in both of the previous editions of the league. On the other hand, defending champions Mumbai will be looking to start their title defense campaign with a win. In this high-profile match, India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana will be facing each other.
Head to Head
| Total Matches Played | 7 |
| Mumbai Indians Win | 4 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru Wins | 3 |
| Matches in Mumbai | 3 (MI: 2, RCB: 1) |
| Matches in Bengaluru | 2 (MI: 1, RCB: 0) |
| Matches in Delhi | 2 (MI: 0, RCB: 2) |
| Average First Innings Score | 151 |
| Matches Won by Team Batting First | 3 |
| Matches Won by Team Batting Second | 4 |
A trend persists in both formats of the IPL.
One thing is common in the Indian Premier League, whether it’s the men’s or women’s league: Mumbai Indians consistently lose their initial matches, while RCB keeps winning their league matches. However, as the tournament progresses, Mumbai Indians gradually move towards becoming champions and ultimately lift the trophy. The same trend will probably follow in WPL 2026; MI will lose 3-4 matches and fall behind in the points table, but then suddenly bounce back and reach the final. The other teams will win matches initially but will be eliminated after losing in the knockout rounds. Also, this time RCB will make a strong effort to become champions because the men’s RCB team won the championship for the first time in 2025.
No Mercy, No Retreat: The Rivalries That Will Define TATA WPL 2026
This season, Harmanpreet will lead Mumbai and also shoulder the responsibility of explosive batting in the middle order. Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana will captain RCB and will be tasked with providing a blistering start as an opener. In rcb vs mi head to head encounters, Mumbai leads 4-3.
Who is better, RCB or MI?
While Mumbai Indians (MI) generally holds the edge in head-to-head matches (19 wins to RCB’s 14 in 33 encounters) and boasts more IPL titles (5 to RCB’s 0), making them historically stronger, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has a passionate fanbase and has shown periods of dominance, with recent seasons seeing them play exciting, attacking cricket and occasionally breaking jinxes, making the “better” team a matter of recent form, individual performance, and fan preference.
As the dust settles and the floodlights dim, one truth will remain undeniable — TATA WPL 2026 is no longer just a tournament, it’s a battleground of emotion. Fire will test ice. Pride will challenge legacy. Some teams will rise, others will learn, but every clash will leave a mark on the story of women’s cricket. Long after the final ball is bowled, fans won’t just remember the scores — they’ll remember the moments that made their hearts race. This season isn’t about who played better; it’s about who dared to own the rivalry and turn pressure into history.