De Klerk shines as RCB snatch last-ball victory against Mumbai Indians
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 157 for 7 (de Klerk 63*, Kerr 2-13) defeated Mumbai Indians 154 for 6 (Sajana 45, Carey 40, de Klerk 4-26) by three wickets. Nadine de Klerk’s extraordinary late-game display, reminiscent of the remarkable turnaround against India at the 2025 ODI World Cup, propelled RCB to a thrilling opening night triumph over the reigning champions Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium. The fact that de Klerk achieved this without the support of Smriti Mandhana, Grace Harris, or Richa Ghosh—all dismissed within the first eight overs with RCB still requiring 90—made the feat even more astonishing. Facing 18 runs in the final over, de Klerk endured two dot balls, then struck 6, 4, and 6 to reduce the target to 2 off 1. With the field set in tight to prevent a single, she adeptly moved back to send Nat Sciver-Brunt’s delivery soaring over the bowler to seal a remarkable win. De Klerk concluded her innings not out at 63 and also took 4 for 26, delivering an MVP performance that left the opposition reeling. Harmanpreet Kaur could only manage a knowing smile that expressed more than words could convey. For her, it was a case of history repeating itself.
MI’s late errors and a crucial contribution
Mumbai Indians could have effectively secured victory early in the 19th over when RCB needed 29 runs. Sciver-Brunt dropped a straightforward catch at long-off on the very first ball. In the fourth ball of that over, MI squandered two opportunities—Amelia Kerr mishandled a mis-hit drive from de Klerk at deep square, and G Kamalini failed to execute a clean return throw for a run-out as de Klerk attempted to return for a second run. Amid this confusion, Prema Rawat, who had not been utilized for a single over of legspin, still managed to contribute with two essential boundaries, including one in the second last over, finishing at 8 not out.
Amelia Kerr struck twice in one over
Kerr’s bouncebackability was evident as she had struggled to make contact earlier in the match, but she swiftly dismissed Radha Yadav and the dangerous Richa Ghosh in consecutive deliveries, leaving RCB scrambling at 65 for 5 in the eighth over. RCB’s explosive start—representing seven fours and a six in just the first three overs thanks to Grace Harris and Smriti Mandhana—was rapidly undone. It took a partnership worth 52 runs between de Klerk and Arundhati Reddy—who scored 20 off 25 balls—to revive RCB’s chase, before de Klerk unleashed her destructive batting.
Bell vs. Kerr: the duel that defined the match
Lauren Bell set the early tone with a spell of exceptional swing bowling. In Hayley Matthews’ absence due to illness, Kerr frequently found herself beaten by Bell’s late outswing, failing to score until her 11th delivery. Trusted with a third over during the powerplay, Bell dismissed Kerr with a hard-length delivery that was sliced to cover, leaving her with 4 runs off 15 balls. Bell’s figures of 4-1-14-1 highlighted her dominance over MI.
Kamalini shone briefly, as did Harmanpreet. While the short-arm jab off Bell teased the possibilities, Harmanpreet’s lofted shot over extra cover off Shreyanka Patil was a spectacle. The indications were not encouraging for RCB, but a misguided attempt by de Klerk saw Harmanpreet edge one to Richa Ghosh, bringing MI to 67 for 4 in the 11th over.
Sajana makes RCB pay
Surprisingly promoted ahead of the more experienced Amanjot Kaur, Sajana managed to escape two catches in as many overs—first from D Hemalatha at midwicket, then from substitute Sayali Satghare at mid-off. Meanwhile, pressure was mounting on debutant Nicola Carey, who struggled to 14 runs off 14 balls. MI needed to ignite their momentum, and Sajana delivered. Radha’s left-arm spin was taken for 15 runs in the 15th over. She then systematically took down de Klerk on her return, employing her reach and strength to score multiple boundaries in the area between long-on and deep midwicket. Overs 14 to 17 produced 41 runs for MI, rejuvenating their innings.
Together, Carey, who displayed excellent timing, and Sajana, who had a more agricultural approach, amassed 85 runs to ensure MI kept up the fight, only to fall short in the final moments.
Shashank Kishore is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo
Published: 2026-01-09 18:50:00
source: www.espncricinfo.com
