Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs UP Warriorz WPL 2026 Highlights

What's next? One finalist has been confirmed, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru now able to put their feet up and watch how the rest of the league stage unfolds. Despite this defeat, UP Warriorz are mathematically alive, but it will take some drastic results for them to progress. With two games left in the league stage, two spots remain up for grabs, and four teams are still in contention. Up next, the Gujarat Giants face the Mumbai Indians on Friday, 30th January. Plenty is at stake. A win for Gujarat sends them through to the Eliminator, and the same reward awaits Mumbai if they come out on top. Defeat, however, brings nervous calculations. Gujarat, with an inferior net run rate, would be left watching the clash between UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals with bated breath. A loss for Mumbai would put them in the same boat, although with a slightly better NRR. The first ball of Match 19 will be bowled at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as always, you can join us early for the build-up. See you then. Cheers!

Grace Harris is the Player of the Match - It was an all-round show from the Aussie, 2/22 with the ball and a 37-ball 75 with the bat. She giggles and says that she is glad to be classified as an all-rounder for the game, and adds that she was happy when Smriti Mandhana gave her the ball. Mentions that she has been working on a few things with the bat, has kind of reverted to older patterns, and that it seems to be working as she feels more free and happy. Shares that she has worked on her head position and made some technical tweaks, which have allowed her access to more parts of the ground. She explains that they go through tactical discussions on how to approach a spinner, whether to play from the crease or step out, and that she is trying not to overthink. States that she is fairly powerful and often in an advantageous position compared to others, so she tries to cash in when she can and free herself up. On her partnership with Mandhana, Harris smiles and replies that when they glove-tap, she is the one using all the oxygen, while Smriti remains composed and knows her game. Further adds that Smriti allows her to talk freely and helps her refocus. Grace also shares that Mandhana gives her a bit of a heads-up on what ball is coming.

The captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Smriti Mandhana says that UP Warriorz started really well with the bat, and she is pleased with the way her bowlers fought back from there. She gives special praise to Grace Harris for coming in to bowl for the first time in the tournament and picking up two crucial wickets, while also crediting Nadine De Klerk and the rest of the attack for chipping in and executing their plans well. Mandhana adds that over the last couple of games, the focus has been on staying practical and not getting carried away emotionally. She feels the team has played good cricket throughout the tournament and believes consistency in messaging from the support staff, whether in wins or losses, has helped keep the group grounded. Looking ahead, Mandhana says the players will enjoy a short break to switch off before coming back together to prepare for the final.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

The 'dot ball' queen has a word - Lauren Bell says that they started the tournament really strongly and she is delighted to qualify for the final. She adds that it is nice to get a bit of downtime before the final. Shares that the ball is coming out of her hand nicely. She mentions that she is clear about her role and what Smriti Mandhana wants from her, and is happy to contribute in whatever way the team needs. When asked about their thoughts when they saw Deepti Sharma coming out to open with Meg Lanning, Bell replies that they had prepared for a few different options. She explains that the options for her against a left-hander are to target the pads and angle the ball across her. She feels there was a bit more bounce on offer for her tonight. Bell also believes they could have posted a strong total had they batted first.

The captain of UP Warriorz - Meg Lanning says it was a disappointing night for her side. She feels they had a reasonable platform with the bat but could not carry on and convert it into something substantial. She believes it has been a theme through the tournament that every time they get going with the bat, they give it away, making things easier for the opposition. Lanning says that her side did not put in their best performance and could not come up with answers against Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris. She mentions that in T20 cricket, batters need to convert starts. Admits that she got a start, but needed to keep going. Believes that the long break between games did not play a major role and is frank in admitting that RCB outplayed them.

Threw away the start - UP Warriorz will rue a batting collapse that undid all their early good work. For a change, they enjoyed a solid start, cruising to 50 without loss in the Powerplay, with the new opening pair of Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma putting on 74 for the first wicket. But once Meg departed, it became one-way traffic. No UP batter showed the resolve to dig in alongside Deepti, and the innings unravelled quickly. Nadine De Klerk was the chief tormentor, striking twice up front and then returning to add two more. She now wears the Purple Cap as the leading wicket-taker of the season with 15 scalps. The surprise act was Grace Harris, bowling for the first time this edition and picking up the key wickets of Harleen Deol and Chloe Tryon.

CRASH! BANG! WALLOP! It's all over in the blink of an eye. A scintillating batting display from RCB seals the deal in emphatic fashion. Grace Harris brought the power and timing, Smriti Mandhana matched it with elegance and placement, and together they turned the chase into a procession. Every bowler was dominated, and everything on offer was put away with interest. RCB were in cruise control from the word go, dragging the asking rate below six by the end of the Powerplay. At one stage, it felt less like a live contest and more like a rolling highlight reel of boundaries. This was thorough dominance. With this, Royal Challengers Bengaluru complete a double over UP Warriorz, both victories commanding in nature, winning by 9 wickets in Navi Mumbai with 47 balls to spare and following it up with an 8-wicket win here with 41 balls remaining.

Third time lucky!!! RCB had been knocking on the door ever since qualifying for the playoffs, chasing a direct entry into the final. They stumbled twice but have finally broken the jinx and stormed into the final. It was a neat, professional performance this evening, one that fully deserved more than just a place in the final. On this showing, lifting the trophy for a second time would feel perfectly fitting.

FOUR! RCB ARE IN THE FINAL! Flighted, full and outside off with a hint of turn away, Smriti Mandhana gets down on one knee, fetches it from outside off and powers the sweep over mid-wicket for the winning runs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal the chase with an eight-wicket victory, with 41 balls to spare.

A consolation wicket for Asha Sobhana. Richa Ghosh joins Smriti Mandhana out in the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT! Just as the scores are level, a wicket falls. Tossed up, full and around middle with a hint of turn away, Voll comes down the track looking for a big heave over the leg side but only manages a top edge. It balloons towards mid off, where Simran Shaikh settles under it and takes the catch cleanly. This will only delay the inevitable.

FIFTY FOR MANDHANA! Off just 26 balls, her second half-century this season. Floated and full, around off, Smriti runs down the track and eases it to long off for a run.

Turning in from around off, Mandhana goes back and defends it to the off side.

Short and on off, punched to covers.

SIX! Mandhana launches. Asha spots the charge and pulls the length back, sending it short around middle. Smriti adjusts beautifully and muscles it high and handsome over long on for a commanding maximum.

Walks forward and knocks a full ball down to long on for a run.

9 runs more needed for RCB to secure a direct entry into the final. Asha Sobhana comes back. She went for 16 runs in her only over so far.

Pandey lands it on a length around middle and leg, and Voll once again goes for the paddle, guiding it down to fine leg. It races away and the fielder does well near the rope to pull it back. The third umpire checks and confirms it is clean. Just a single taken. Nine needed now.

Angling away from the batter, on a shorter length, Smriti forces it to deep cover for a run.