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The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League begins with a thrilling clash between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Indian stars Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana will lead their sides in the opening match at Navi Mumbai.
Women’s Premier League 2026 Starts with High-Voltage MI vs RCB Match
Mumbai: The fourth season of the Women's Premier League 2026 is set to kick off with a bang. The tournament's very first match will see two of the biggest stars of Indian women's cricket face off. Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Smriti Mandhana will lead their respective teams in the opening match of the Women's Premier League (WPL). Fans are extremely excited about this match.
The first match of WPL 2026 will be played on Friday, January 9th. This high-voltage contest will be held at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The match will begin at 7:30 pm, with the toss taking place at 7:00 pm. A large crowd is expected to gather at the stadium to watch the star players from both teams.
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The Mumbai Indians are once again led by the experienced Harmanpreet Kaur. The team's squad appears to be very balanced, featuring several internationally renowned players. Players like Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, and Shabnim Ismail strengthen the team. Mumbai Indians have been one of the most successful teams in the WPL so far and will be aiming to defend their title this season as well.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿 💙❤️#TATAWPL 2026 opener is almost here 🥳
Watch the full Pre-match PC ▶️ https://t.co/MotoWuFlCe #KhelEmotionKa | #MIvRCB | @ImHarmanpreet | @mandhana_smriti pic.twitter.com/1Si53zXiEP
— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) January 8, 2026
On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore, captained by Smriti Mandhana, will look to put the disappointment of last season behind them and enter the field with renewed vigor. The team boasts a good mix of youth and experience. High expectations will be placed on Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Grace Harris, Pooja Vastrakar, and Lauren Bell.
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If you want to watch this exciting match live, it will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network in India. For mobile and online viewers, live streaming of the match will be available on the Jio Hotstar app and website. This battle of Smriti vs Harman is all set to give a memorable start to WPL 2026.
