Smriti Mandhana-led RCB all set for flying start as they face Mumbai Indians in WPL 2026 opener

RCB’s skipper Smriti Mandhana opened up ahead of the TATA Women’s Premier League 2026 campaign opener against defending champions Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday.

Smriti Mandhana, WPL 2026, RCB, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Ellyse Perry, WPL, Mumbai Indians, MI, Harmanpreet Kaur — Smriti Mandhana

New Delhi: Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana feels her team is in a strong position ahead of the TATA Women’s Premier League 2026. RCB is gearing to begin their campaign against defending champions Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday.

While speaking about her thoughts on RCB’s squad and the approach going into the new season, Mandhana said, “We’re a young group, but there’s a lot of energy and excitement around the team. Every time we go onto the field, we want to build the right mindset and keep improving, not just look at one result.”

Smriti Mandhana on her effort to develop power-hitting

Mandhana also spoke about a deliberate effort to develop her power-hitting while staying true to her natural game. She said, “There’s a conscious effort from my side to hit more sixes. I’ve been working quite a bit on my power-hitting, and hopefully I can bring that into the WPL without moving away from timing and my natural game.”

Mandhana further said, “When I look at fancy shots, I know I am still a little away from them. But if I could muscle those sixes, I’ll be very happy with that.”

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Mandhana also reflected on Ellyse Perry’s impact on the team

Despite Ellyse Perry not being part of the RCB’s squad this season, Mandhana reflected on her impact on the team, “She’s been amazing for us. We’ve learned so much from her work ethic and the way she carries herself around the group, especially for the younger players. Of course, no one can replace someone like her, but we have a young, high-quality group that’s really gelling together.”

Mandhana also opened up about the broader impact of the Women’s Premier League, “It’ss always exciting to see talents coming up in WPL. Every WPL is just getting us closer to where we want to be. That shows that WPL has made a lot of impact on us, and everyone knows that if you have a good WPL, especially in the T20 format, you always have a chance.”