The Bengaluru leg of the ongoing WPL 2025 is all set to begin on Friday as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on the 2023 winners, Mumbai Indians (MI), at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium. With the support of their passionate home crowd, RCB will look to maintain their winning momentum. They have won both their matches so far, defeating Gujarat Giants (GG) and Delhi Capitals (DC).
MI, on the other hand, bounced back in their last match with a win over GG after narrowly losing their opening clash against DC. In their five previous WPL meetings, MI hold a slight edge with three wins, while RCB has won the last two encounters. For MI to shift the momentum back in their favour, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur will need to step up both as a leader and a batter.
Harmanpreet’s record at Chinnaswamy and against RCB
The MI captain has enjoyed batting at Chinnaswamy in the WPL, scoring 101 runs in just two innings at an impressive average of 101.00 and a strike rate of 134.66. Her 55-run knock off 34 balls against DC in the last season earned her the Player of the Match award.
However, she missed MI’s clash against RCB at this venue last season due to a niggle, with Nat Sciver-Brunt leading MI to a comfortable seven-wicket win.
Despite her strong record on this ground, Harmanpreet has struggled against RCB overall. In three innings against Smriti Mandhana’s side, she has managed just 35 runs at an average of 11.66 with a strike-rate of 97.22. Ellyse Perry has been her biggest nemesis, dismissing her bowled twice. However, Perry has not bowled in this edition so far due to her recent hip injury, which could be a relief for the MI captain.
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Harmanpreet’s costly mistake against RCB in the last season
During last season’s Eliminator against RCB, Harmanpreet played a solid knock alongside Amelia Kerr as MI closed in on a 136-run target. With 20 needed off the last three overs and seven wickets in hand, MI seemed to be in control.
However, Shreyanka Patil bowled a brilliant over, and on the final ball, Harmanpreet’s dismissal shifted the momentum. Tempted by a delivery outside off stump, she stepped out but mistimed her shot, hitting it straight to Sophie Devine at long-on. MI lost their way from there, failing to score 16 off the last two overs and handing RCB a five-run win.
What to Expect Today?
Harmanpreet will be eager to avoid a repeat of that mistake if she finds herself in a match-winning position. So far this season, she has scored 46 runs in two innings at a strike-rate of 191.66 but has been dismissed by pacers on both occasions—Annabel Sutherland (DC) and Kashvee Gautam (GG).
RCB’s pace trio of Renuka Singh Thakur, Kim Garth, and Joshitha VJ could look to exploit this weakness as they aim to extend their winning run in front of a raucous home crowd.
Also Read: WPL 2025: Key takeaways for teams after an action-packed Vadodara leg