Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026: a thriller for the ages
The Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 opener instantly entered WPL folklore as Royal Challengers Bengaluru stunned defending champions Mumbai Indians in a dramatic three‑wicket heist in Navi Mumbai. Chasing 155, RCB needed 18 off the final over and still found a way, thanks to one of the most nerveless finishes the league has seen.
At the heart of the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 story was the 25‑year‑old South African all‑rounder, who stayed unbeaten on 63 off 44 balls after already wrecking MI with the ball. Her all‑round masterclass turned what looked like a comfortable MI defence into a gut‑wrenching loss off the very last delivery.
Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026: demolition with ball, rescue with bat
Before the chase, the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 narrative began with the ball. De Klerk returned superb figures of 4 for 26, dismissing Nat Sciver‑Brunt for 4, removing Harmanpreet Kaur for 20, and then striking twice in the final over to send back Sajeevan Sajana (45 off 25) and Nicola Carey (40), restricting MI to 154 for 6.
Even that total had looked imposing after Sajana and Carey added 82 runs for the fifth wicket, dragging MI from 67 for 4 to a competitive score in the WPL cauldron. But the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 script demanded more, and she delivered again when RCB’s chase collapsed from 57 for 2 to 75 for 5.
Building the chase from chaos
In the chase, Smriti Mandhana and new opening partner Grace Harris had given RCB a flying start with 40 off 23 balls before wickets tumbled. Once the middle order folded, RCB were 75 for 5 at halfway, still 80 runs away, and the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 moment felt distant.
De Klerk rebuilt patiently with Arundhati Reddy, adding a crucial sixth‑wicket stand that slowed the game down before accelerating. After a stretch of 20 balls without a boundary, she switched gears, turning the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 from a possibility into an inevitability with clean hits once the death overs began.
Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026: the unforgettable final over
The defining chapter of the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 came against Nat Sciver‑Brunt in the 20th over. RCB needed 18 off the last six balls; after two dot deliveries, the equation read 18 off 4, with Mumbai heavy favourites.
Then the magic happened: de Klerk smashed a six, a four, another six and finally a four to finish the match, taking 20 runs off those four balls and sealing the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 in front of a stunned DY Patil crowd. From 137 for 7, RCB reached 157 for 7, and her 63* contained seven fours and two sixes – every one of them now part of RCB legend.
Why the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 matters beyond one night
For RCB fans, the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 is more than just two points; it feels like a cultural turning point for a team long associated with heartbreaks in big tournaments. Starting a season by beating the champions, away from home, with a last‑ball finish sets a tone of belief that numbers alone can’t capture.
For Nadine de Klerk herself, the Nadine de Klerk last-ball win WPL 2026 performance – 4/26 with the ball and 63* with the bat – reinforces her status as one of the most clutch white‑ball all‑rounders in the women’s game. And for the WPL, this opener proved once again why it is becoming the emotional heart of the women’s T20 calendar, where one over, one player and one last ball can redefine a season.
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