Nat Sciver-Brunt’s Historic Century Fires Mumbai Indians to Victory; Richa Ghosh’s Heroic 90 Falls Short for RCB. Vadodara, January 26, 2026 – In what will be remembered as a landmark day for women’s cricket, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 finally witnessed its first-ever centurion. England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt etched her name into the history books with a magnificent, unbeaten 100, propelling the Mumbai Indians (MI) to a crucial 15-run victory over league leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi.
Despite a breathtaking counter-attack by RCB’s Richa Ghosh, who smashed 90 off just 50 balls, the target of 200 proved just out of reach for the Bengaluru side. This victory keeps Mumbai Indians’ playoff hopes alive, while RCB, who have already qualified, suffered their second consecutive defeat.
Match Summary: A One-Sided Affair
| Team | Score | Key Performers |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | 199/4 in 20 Overs | Nat Sciver Brunt(100) Hayley Matthews (56) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | 184/9 in 20 Overs | Richa Ghosh (90), Nadine de Klerk (28) |
Result: Mumbai Indians Women won by 15 runs
The Milestone: Nat Sciver-Brunt Breaks the Century Drought
Entering Match 16, the WPL had completed 82 matches across four seasons without a single player reaching the triple-digit mark. That changed on Monday night. After MI lost Sajeevan Sajana early to a sharp delivery from Lauren Bell, Sciver-Brunt joined Hayley Matthews to orchestrate a recovery that soon turned into a carnage.
Sciver-Brunt’s innings was a masterclass in pacing. She took 57 balls to reach her century, decorated with 16 boundaries and a solitary six. Her partnership with Matthews (56 off 39) added 131 runs for the second wicket, dismantling an RCB bowling attack that had looked invincible for most of the season. Sciver-Brunt reached the magical 100-run mark in the final over, helping MI post a daunting 199/4.
RCB’s Top-Order Collapse
Chasing 200, RCB needed a flying start, but the Mumbai bowlers had other plans. Shabnim Ismail and Hayley Matthews tore through the RCB top order. Within the first five overs, RCB found themselves reeling at 35/5.
Grace Harris fell to Ismail for 20.
Skipper Smriti Mandhana was out-foxed by Matthews.
Georgia Voll and Gautami Naik departed in quick succession, leaving the table-toppers staring at a massive defeat.
Richa Ghosh: The Lone Warrior
Just as the match seemed to be heading for a one-sided finish, Richa Ghosh stepped up. Coming in at a stage where the required run rate was climbing past 12, the young Indian wicketkeeper-batter played the innings of her life.
Supported briefly by Nadine de Klerk (28), Ghosh took the attack to the MI bowlers. She targeted the spin of Amelia Kerr and the pace of Nat Sciver-Brunt alike, clearing the ropes with ease. Her 90 runs came at a strike rate of 180, including 10 fours and 6 sixes. In the 19th over, she hit three consecutive sixes off Amanjot Kaur, bringing the equation down to 32 runs needed off the final over.
However, the pressure of the final over was handled expertly by Amelia Kerr. Despite conceding a few boundaries early in the over, Kerr kept her cool and eventually dismissed Ghosh on the final ball of the match, as RCB finished at 184/9.
Match Scorecard: RCB vs MI (WPL 2026, Match 16)
Mumbai Indians Women Innings (199/4 in 20 Overs)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Sajeevan Sajana | lbw b Lauren Bell | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Hayley Matthews | b Lauren Bell | 56 | 39 | 9 | 0 | 143.59 |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt | not out | 100 | 57 | 16 | 1 | 175.44 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | c Voll b de Klerk | 20 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 166.67 |
| Amanjot Kaur | b Shreyanka Patil | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Amelia Kerr | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Total | (4 wickets, 20 overs) | 199 | 9.95 (RR) |
RCB Bowling Highlights:
Lauren Bell: 4-0-21-2
Nadine de Klerk: 4-0-40-1
Shreyanka Patil: 3-0-34-1
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Innings (184/9 in 20 Overs)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Grace Harris | b Shabnim Ismail | 20 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Smriti Mandhana | c & b Matthews | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Georgia Voll | c & b Matthews | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Richa Ghosh | c Poonam b Kerr | 90 | 50 | 10 | 6 | 180.00 |
| Nadine de Klerk | c Sciver-Brunt b Kerr | 28 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 116.67 |
| Shreyanka Patil | not out | 12 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 240.00 |
| Total | (9 wickets, 20 overs) | 184 | 9.20 (RR) |
MI Bowling Highlights:
Hayley Matthews: 4-0-28-3
Shabnim Ismail: 4-0-25-2
Amelia Kerr: 4-0-37-2
WPL 2026 Points Table Standings
After Match 16, the race for the top three spots has intensified. While RCB remains at the top, MI has climbed to the 4th spot, level on points with UP Warriorz but with a superior net run rate.