UP Warriors are keeping their WPL 2026 campaign alive by setting RCB a target of 144 in Vadodara. Struggling with four defeats from six matches, the Warriors desperately needed momentum against table-toppers RCB. Invited to bat first by Smriti Mandhana after she won the toss, UP Warriors reached 143 for 8 in 20 overs on Thursday.
The innings kicked off explosively thanks to the opening duo of skipper Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma. Their 74-run stand in 8.1 overs set the tone. Lanning departed for a brisk 41 (30 balls, 6×4, 1×6), but Deepti took charge, crafting an unbeaten 55 off 43 balls laced with six fours and a six. Small partnerships with Harleen Deol (14) and Simran Sheikh (10) pushed the score forward.
The tail-end collapsed dramatically, with three wickets tumbling in the last seven balls. Nadine de Klerk was RCB’s wrecker-in-chief, grabbing 4 wickets for 22 runs. Grace Harris snared two, and Bell and Patil chipped in with one apiece.
Lanning’s XI comprised Simran Sheikh, Amy Jones behind the stumps, Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon, Deepti, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana Joy, Shikha Pandey, and Kranti Gaud. RCB countered with Mandhana at the helm, alongside Grace Harris, Georgia Voll, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh (wk), de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, and Lauren Bell.
RCB now face a testing chase. Can they overhaul the target, or will Deepti’s gritty effort inspire the Warriors to a crucial win?
