The much-anticipated opening match of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 season on Friday generated buzz even before the first delivery was bowled. The spotlight, however, shifted dramatically from the cricket pitch to the opening ceremony at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium, where a surprise celebrity appearance created an unforgettable and viral moment.
An Unscripted Viral Moment
After the toss formalities were completed, the ceremony commenced with performances by Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu and actor Jacqueline Fernandez. The atmosphere, however, reached a fever pitch with the unexpected arrival of popular Punjabi rapper Honey Singh. His entry instantly commanded attention, particularly because he was seated right between the two team captains, Smriti Mandhana of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Harmanpreet Kaur of Mumbai Indians.
While the setup looked glamorous for the cameras, the captains appeared visibly caught off-guard. As Honey Singh made his way to his seat, both Mandhana and Harmanpreet stood up but seemed uncertain about how to react. Harmanpreet Kaur began clapping along to the music, while Smriti Mandhana stood still with her hands folded for several seconds before awkwardly joining in the applause. This brief, unscripted interaction was quickly captured and spread like wildfire across various social media platforms, becoming one of the most talked-about incidents of the night.
Toss and Team Decisions
Earlier, Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the toss and elected to bowl first against the defending champions, Mumbai Indians. This match marks the inaugural game of the WPL's new January-February window. Explaining her decision, RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana cited the dew factor at the DY Patil Stadium. "Dew plays a huge role at this venue, especially in the second half, and it's a ground where conditions can change quickly," she said. "We want to bowl tight lines early and restrict the opposition."
Mandhana expressed confidence in her squad, stating, "The girls have gelled really well. It's a young group, the overseas players have settled in nicely, and it's been a fun environment. Everyone's worked extremely hard, and we're really excited to get started."
On the other side, the twice-champion Mumbai Indians faced a setback, missing the services of key all-rounder Hayley Matthews due to illness.
Playing XIs and Tournament Context
The teams fielded the following line-ups for the historic opener:
Mumbai Indians: Nat Sciver-Brunt, G Kamalini (wk), Amelia Kerr, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amanjot Kaur, Nicola Carey, Poonam Khemnar, Shabnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta, Sajeevan Sajana, and Saika Ishaque.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (c), Grace Harris, Dayalan Hemalatha, Richa Ghosh (wk), Radha Yadav, Nadine de Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Prema Rawat, Linsey Smith, and Lauren Bell.
The 2026 edition of the Women's Premier League promises high-octane cricket with fans eagerly tracking the progress of all five franchises: Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals. The race for the Orange Cap (leading run-scorer) and Purple Cap (leading wicket-taker) is also a major point of interest throughout the tournament.
