The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 moves to a new city as the Gujarat Giants (GG) host the league leaders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), in the opening match of the Vadodara leg. RCB arrives at the Kotambi Stadium as the only undefeated side in the competition, boasting a perfect four-for-four record. While they haven’t been flawless, their knack for finding a different match-winner in every crisis has made them the team to beat.
As the tournament shifts from Navi Mumbai to Vadodara, the big question is whether RCB can adapt their dominance to new conditions or if the Gujarat Giants can use their home-turf advantage to snap their losing streak.
The Mid-Over Crisis: Can Gujarat Giants Plug the Leaks?
The narrative for Gujarat Giants this season has been one of missed opportunities. Statistically, they are one of the most dangerous teams during the Powerplay, conceding just 7.75 runs per over. However, as soon as the field spreads, the discipline vanishes.
Between overs 7 and 16, GG has been the most expensive bowling unit in the league, leaking 10.40 runs per over. This vulnerability stretches into the death overs, where they bleed runs at a rate of 11.41. In their previous encounter, they had RCB reeling at 43/4, only to let the game slip away as Richa Ghosh and Radha Yadav put on a century stand. To stand a chance on Monday, Ashleigh Gardner’s side must find a way to sustain pressure for the full 20 overs rather than just the first six.
Players to Watch: Mooney’s Form vs. Bell’s Swing
For the Giants to turn their season around, they desperately need captain Beth Mooney to fire. Mooney has had a quiet start, managing just 92 runs in four outings. History suggests she is a slow starter—last year she followed a string of low scores with a massive 96—and GG will be hoping Vadodara provides the spark she needs to anchor the innings.
On the flip side, RCB’s Lauren Bell has been a revelation. Her ability to extract sharp bounce and swing has already claimed the scalps of world-class batters like Meg Lanning and Sophie Devine. With the Vadodara pitch historically favoring chasing teams and potentially offering some assistance to seamers under the lights, Bell’s opening spell will likely dictate the tempo of the match.
Tactical Outlook: The Toss and the Vadodara Factor
The Kotambi Stadium has a unique history. While it hosted a 400-run thriller between these two sides in 2025, the subsequent matches saw the average first-innings total drop to 147. Crucially, every single one of the last six matches at this venue was won by the team batting second. With the threat of dew and a clear statistical bias toward chasing, the toss will be a massive factor. RCB’s Grace Harris, who currently holds a tournament-high strike rate of 200, will be licking her lips at the prospect of a late-innings chase. Meanwhile, GG’s Sophie Devine—who has cleared the ropes 10 times already this season—remains their most potent weapon to counter RCB’s momentum.
