Smriti Mandhana’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru set new RECORD in Women’s Premier League, storm into Playoffs stage

Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru have booked their place in the WPL 2026 Playoffs with a 61-run win over Gujarat Giants on Monday night.

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) might only be a few years old at this stage but two teams – Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru – have dominated the tournament so far. On Monday, Smriti Mandhana’s RCB side set a new benchmark in the WPL 2026, posting their sixth successive win of the season – hammering Gujarat Giants by 61 runs in match No. 12 at Vadodara.

RCB have broken the record of 5 successive wins achieved by Nita Ambani’s Mumbai Indians in the WPL 2023 season. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru and MI are also the only two sides to have won more than three games in a row to begin a WPL season. RCB’s unbeaten run dates back to the WPL 2025 season.

Most successive wins in Women’s Premier League

6* – Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025-26)

5 – Mumbai Indians (2023)

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5 – Mumbai Indians (2023-24)

5 – Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2024-25)

4 – Delhi Capitals (2024)

A moment Gautami Naik will never forget
She wasn’t ready for this surprise from her cricketing idol
A moment to remember forever. ✨#TATAWPL | #KhelEmotionKa | #GGvRCB | @hardikpandya7 | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/Th9z5nmzqY
— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) January 20, 2026

Gautami Naik hammered a brilliant half-century to set up Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 61-run win over Gujarat Giants and ensure a top-three finish in the WPL 2026 on Monday to book their place in the Playoffs.

Sent in to bat, table-toppers RCB were off to a rocky start, losing opener Grace Harris and Georgia Voll inside the second over with the scoreboard reading just nine before Naik held the innings together to take RCB to a respectable 178 for six.

“I am very happy. Again the way we started, to get 180 from there was a very good effort. I am very happy for Gautami, coming in at the biggest stage and batting at 10 for 2 and then to bat the way she did. Execution of bowling plans was spot on,” RCB captain Smriti Mandhana said at the post-match presentation on Monday.

Needing 179 to win, GG faltered right from the beginning, losing four wickets for 34 by the 7th over. Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma and Kanika Ahuja all departed early.

GG skipper Ashleigh Gardner (54 off 43 balls) and Bharti Fulmali (14) tried to resurrect their innings but failed. Gardner struck five boundaries and one six during her knock but it was not enough as GG finished at 117 for 8.

For RCB, right-arm medium pacer Sayali Satghare continued her fine form and was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 21. She was ably supported by Nadine de Klerk (2/17).

Earlier, skipper Smriti Mandhana (26 off 23 balls) and put on 60 runs for the third wicket with top-scorer Naik to stabilise RCB’s innings. Naik (73 off 55 balls, 7x4s, 1×6) and Richa Ghosh (27 off 20 balls) then put on 69 runs for the fourth wicket.

“To play three matches in four days with a travel day, I am extremely proud of the girls. It is not easy to play high intensity matches and play again. Message will just be to take a break for a couple of days. We’ve not been really big on what’s going to happen after 10 or 15 days. It’s about doing each day right, including practice sessions,” Mandhana said.

“Credit to our support staff for keeping everyone happy. We are just looking forward to going out tomorrow and day after coming back to practice hard for the next match,” she added.

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The Times Of Bengal