Nat Sciver-Brunt Makes History with WPL's First Century as Mumbai Indians Defeat RCB
In a thrilling Women's Premier League encounter, Mumbai Indians secured a crucial 15-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, reigniting their playoff aspirations. The match, held in Vadodara, was highlighted by a historic performance from England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who became the first player to score a century in WPL history.
Sciver-Brunt's Record-Breaking Innings
Facing a challenging pitch that favored bowlers early on, Mumbai Indians struggled initially, managing only 38 runs in the powerplay overs. However, Sciver-Brunt, alongside Hayley Matthews, stabilized the innings with a resilient partnership. After reaching 75/1 in ten overs, they unleashed an aggressive assault, targeting boundaries with precision.
Sciver-Brunt's century came off just 57 balls, showcasing her exceptional strike rate of over 144 in the WPL, a significant improvement from her international average. Her unbeaten knock of 100 runs, combined with Matthews' 56 from 39 deliveries, propelled Mumbai Indians to a formidable total of 199/4. This partnership of 131 runs from 73 balls was instrumental in setting a competitive target.
RCB's Batting Collapse and Fightback
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have been dominant this season, faced an early setback as Matthews continued her impactful performance by taking three key wickets in a two-over spell. Shabnim Ismail complemented this by dismissing Grace Smith and Gautami Naik, leaving RCB reeling at 40/5 within the powerplay.
Despite the top-order collapse, Richa Ghosh emerged as a beacon of hope for Bengaluru, scoring a valiant 90 off 50 balls. Alongside Nadine de Klerk, she attempted to steer the innings towards recovery. However, Amelia Kerr's dismissal of de Klerk and a late surge from Ghosh and Shreyanka Patil, who added 27 runs in the penultimate over, fell short as RCB finished at 184/9, 15 runs adrift of the target.
Key Performances and Match Summary
Mumbai Indians: Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten century and Hayley Matthews' all-round display, including 56 runs and 3 wickets, were pivotal. Lauren Bell was the standout bowler for RCB with figures of 2/21.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Richa Ghosh's explosive 90 and Shreyanka Patil's late cameo provided moments of brilliance, but the early batting collapse proved costly.
This victory marks a significant turnaround for Mumbai Indians, who had lost their previous three matches, and keeps their playoff dreams alive in the WPL 2026 season.
