The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 has reached a fever pitch following Friday night’s clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Giants (GG). While the race for the Orange Cap remains relatively steady at the summit, the battle for the Purple Cap has transformed into a thrilling three-way tie that promises fireworks in the coming matches.
The Purple Cap: A Three-Way Deadlock at the Top
Heading into Match No. 9, Delhi Capitals’ breakout star Nandani Sharma was the undisputed leader of the bowling charts. With eight wickets, the season’s only hat-trick, and a five-wicket haul to her name, she seemed untouchable. However, Friday’s action saw two heavyweights join her at the top of the mountain.
Sophie Devine (GG) was the first to make her move. After Gujarat Giants opted to bowl first, Devine dismantled the RCB middle order, picking up the wickets of Gautami Naik, Nadine de Klerk, and Radha Yadav. Her figures of 3/31 propelled her to a total of eight wickets for the season.
Not to be outdone, Shreyanka Patil (RCB) delivered a masterclass during the second innings. Defending a total of 182, Patil struck early by dismissing Beth Mooney in the powerplay. She then tore through the lower order, claiming Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwar, and Renuka Singh to finish with sensational figures of 5/23.
While Nandani Sharma technically retains the cap due to her superior average and strike rate, the leaderboard is now a logjam. Fans are eagerly anticipating Saturday night’s showdown between DC and RCB, which will feature a direct “face-off” between Sharma and Patil for the right to wear the Purple Cap.
Current Purple Cap Standings (Top 3)
| Player | Team | Wickets | Best Figures |
| Nandani Sharma | DC | 8 | 5/12 |
| Shreyanka Patil | RCB | 8 | 5/23 |
| Sophie Devine | GG | 8 | 3/31 |
The Orange Cap: Harmanpreet Kaur Maintains Her Lead
On the batting front, Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur continues her reign at the top of the run-scoring charts. Despite a modest 16-run outing in MI’s recent loss to UP Warriorz, her explosive start to the tournament—including unbeaten scores of 74 and 71—has given her a comfortable cushion. Kaur currently sits at 181 runs from four innings, maintaining a blistering strike rate of 160.17.
The chasing pack is led by Delhi’s Lizelle Lee, who is breathing down Harmanpreet’s neck just 18 runs behind. Meanwhile, the battle for the third spot is razor-thin. Phoebe Litchfield (UPW) moved into third place with a steady 25-run contribution against MI, bringing her total to 150 runs. This puts her a single run ahead of Sophie Devine, who missed a chance to climb higher after being dismissed for just 8 against RCB.
As the tournament moves into the weekend, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With Harmanpreet looking to extend her lead in the rematch against UP Warriorz and the Purple Cap contenders ready to duel, the WPL 2026 leaderboard is set for even more dramatic shifts.
