Mumbai Indians skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was left to rue the absence of a single decisive delivery in the final over, as a blistering cameo from Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Nadine de Klerk snatched a thrilling 3-wicket victory in the opening match of the Women's Premier League 2026 season on Friday, January 9.
De Klerk Haunts Harmanpreet Kaur Once Again
The clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru served as an agonizing flashback for the Indian captain. Exactly three months prior, on October 9, 2025, de Klerk had smashed a match-winning 84 runs against India in a Women's World Cup group stage encounter. History repeated itself in the WPL, as the South African all-rounder once again proved to be Kaur's nemesis, this time dragging RCB from a precarious position to an unlikely win with her powerful hitting in the death overs.
"Well, we know that she (de Klerk) has the capacity to score whatever runs are needed in the last over," a reflective Harmanpreet Kaur stated in the post-match presentation. "But yeah, I think we just didn't bowl one good ball, which was needed in the last over. Sometimes this happens." The MI captain conceded that her team had presented de Klerk with two or three opportunities, which a batter of her calibre inevitably capitalizes on with a reinforced resolve.
The Deciding Over: A Tale of What Could Have Been
When pressed on what her team could have done differently to alter the outcome, Kaur's analysis was succinct and pointed. She reiterated that a solitary well-executed delivery in the climactic final over would have sufficed to secure victory for the defending champions. "I think one good ball in the last over – that's all. Otherwise, I think we were in the game," she explained.
Kaur emphasized that her team had executed their plans effectively for the majority of the contest, only to falter at the final hurdle. "We did everything that was needed to win this match, but except for that last over. If we could have bowled one good ball, we could have won the match," she added, highlighting the fine margins that often decide high-pressure T20 encounters.
Looking Ahead: Lessons from a Nail-Biting Start
Despite the stinging defeat, the experienced leader advocated for a forward-looking approach, characteristic of the fast-paced WPL. Acknowledging that such heart-stopping finishes are a staple of the league, Kaur stressed the importance of immediate learning and moving on. "Well, in the WPL, we always get matches like this. And we know that if we keep thinking about this game, it's not going to help us tomorrow," she remarked.
Her focus swiftly shifted to the team's preparation for the upcoming fixtures. "So I think we just need to learn from this match and think about how we can do better in the next one," Kaur concluded, setting the tone for Mumbai Indians' campaign ahead.
The match was a testament to de Klerk's all-round brilliance. Earlier, her four-wicket haul had been instrumental in restricting Mumbai Indians to a total of 154 for 6. However, it was her unbeaten, explosive batting at the death that ultimately overshadowed her bowling effort and earned her the Player of the Match award.
RCB captain Smriti Mandhana also drew parallels to de Klerk's World Cup heroics in Visakhapatnam, noting the similarity in the match situation and the outcome. "Yeah, we saw that in Visakhapatnam... I think we were in a similar situation against South Africa in the World Cup match, and she pulled it off," Mandhana said, praising her match-winner's temperament and skill under pressure.
