UP Warriors Set 144-Run Target for RCB in WPL 2026 18th Match

Vadodara, Jan 2026: In a must-win clash for the UP Warriors, the team set a target of 144 runs for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 18th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 at the BCA Stadium. With 4 losses in their 6 matches so far, the Warriors needed a strong performance to stay in contention.

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and asked the Warriors to bat first. The Warriors started positively with their opening pair, Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma, putting on 74 runs in 8.1 overs. Lanning was dismissed for 41 off 30 balls, featuring six fours and one six. Deepti Sharma then anchored the innings, building small partnerships and ensuring a competitive total. She scored 55 runs off 43 balls, including six fours and one six. Contributions from Harleen Deol (14) and Simran Shaikh (10) helped push the team to 143 for 8 in 20 overs, despite losing 3 wickets in the final 7 balls.

For RCB, Nadine de Klerk was the standout bowler, claiming 4 wickets for 22 runs, while Grace Harris took 2 wickets. Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil chipped in with one wicket each.

Under Meg Lanning’s captaincy, the UP Warriors’ playing XI included Simran Shaikh, Amy Jones (wk), Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon, Deepti Sharma, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Shobhana Joy, Shikha Pandey, and Kranti Gaur. For RCB, Smriti Mandhana led the side comprising Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, and Lauren Bell.

With 143 runs on board, the UP Warriors have set a competitive target for RCB, putting pressure on the defending champions to chase accurately in this crucial mid-season encounter.