The DY Patil Stadium witnessed a cricketing masterclass on Monday night as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women dismantled the UP Warriorz (UPW) in the fifth match of WPL 2026. In a clinical display of disciplined bowling followed by a ruthless batting assault, RCB chased down a target of 144 in just 12.1 overs, sending a clear message to the rest of the league. The victory, fuelled by an explosive partnership between Grace Harris and skipper Smriti Mandhana, saw the Bengaluru franchise leap to the top of the table.
Disciplined RCB bowling stifles UP Warriorz after mid-inning collapse
Winning the toss and electing to bowl, RCB’s attack justified the decision immediately. Lauren Bell set the tone early, removing Harleen Deol (11) in the fifth over. However, the real destruction occurred during a nightmare stretch for the Warriorz between the 7th and 9th overs. Shreyanka Patil turned the game on its head, dismissing the legendary Meg Lanning (14) and the dangerous Phoebe Litchfield (20) in quick succession.
The Warriorz’s middle order crumbled like a house of cards. Nadine de Klerk joined the party by removing Kiran Navgire and Shweta Sehrawat on consecutive deliveries, leaving UPW reeling at a disastrous 50/5 in 8.2 overs. For a moment, it looked like the match might end prematurely.
A recovery of sorts was staged by Deepti Sharma (45* off 35) and Deandra Dottin (40* off 37), who stitched together an unbeaten 93-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Despite their gritty efforts to drag the score to 143/5, the RCB bowlers remained economical. Patil finished with standout figures of 2/50, while Arundhati Reddy strangled the scoring rate with an economy of just 4.50.
Grace Harris and Smriti Mandhana decimate UP Warriorz as RCB Secure thumping 9-wicket win
If the first half was about RCB’s discipline, the second half was about pure, unadulterated power. Opening the batting, Grace Harris looked like a woman possessed. From the first ball of the chase, she dismantled the UPW bowling attack with surgical precision. Harris reached her half-century in just 22 balls, eventually finishing with a staggering 85 off 40 deliveries, decorated with 10 boundaries and 5 towering sixes.
At the other end, Smriti Mandhana played the perfect foil, punctuating the chase with her trademark elegant drives and lofted shots. The duo brought up the team’s 100 in just 7.5 overs, effectively ending the contest before the strategic timeout. Mandhana remained unbeaten on 47 off 32 balls, ensuring there were no late hiccups.
The only blemish for RCB was the late dismissal of Harris in the 12th over, but by then, the damage was irreversible. Richa Ghosh walked in to bat and RCB sealed the victory with 47 balls to spare. This 9-wicket win not only earns RCB two points but significantly boosts their Net Run Rate, establishing them as the team to beat in the 2026 season.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Player of the Match: Grace Harris#cricket #RCBvUPW #WPL2026 pic.twitter.com/MSpX8Jp1tM
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) January 12, 2026
🚨GRACE HARRIS WINS THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH AWARD 🚨
– Grace Harris smashes a breathtaking 85 off 40 balls,5 sixes & 10 fours, at a strike rate of over 212. Absolutely incredible and unreal performance! 👏🔥 #WPL26 pic.twitter.com/KXkVXQ49NK
— MD Raju 🇮🇳 (@MDRaju_Live) January 12, 2026
Standing Ovation for Grace Harris
She deserve it man!!
We won match so early because of her If she out early then we’ll won this match in 15 or 16 over #WPL26 #Tatawpl pic.twitter.com/w4wLD41Uoa— ViratUniverse👑🚩 (@DipanshuV19) January 12, 2026
We have Grace Harris ♥️
Some people were literally crying for Perry
You need more such batters in T20 Cricket
Said this before and will keep saying You need T20 style player to get success in T20 format https://t.co/vbwK93PIgI pic.twitter.com/soglUXY59n
— CricShyr (@cricshyr) January 12, 2026
85 Runs || 40 Balls || 10 Fours || 05 Sixes || 212.5 Strike Rate ||
Grace Harris cooked for RCB in their second game with bang! ❤️🥵 pic.twitter.com/fepTQGaa2N
— Pratika’s Poetry (@RRoyal_Reaper) January 12, 2026
Standing ovation for Grace Harris 👏 pic.twitter.com/SKSXRnw9Ao
— RCBIANS OFFICIAL (@RcbianOfficial) January 12, 2026
🚨 Richa Ghosh hit the winning boundary but soon realized Smriti Mandhana was just three runs away from her fifty. Smriti laughed after seeing Richa’s reaction. 😂 pic.twitter.com/JrZxYkwfSG
— MuFFatLal Bohra (@arshdeep3444) January 12, 2026
– RCB beat MI by 4 wickets.
– RCB beat UP Warriorz by 9 wickets.2 OUT OF 2 WINS FOR CAPTAIN SMRITI MANDHANA & CO..!!!! 🔥♥️
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) January 12, 2026
🚨 RCB Women demolish UP Warriorz by 9 wickets in 12.1 overs! Grace Harris 85, Smriti Mandhana 47. WPL2026 warning! 🔥💥 pic.twitter.com/WhaAd6wCdo
— Kanak Kumari (@KanakKu64995524) January 12, 2026
“I’m loving my time with RCB”
~ Grace Harris pic.twitter.com/S9B9YVdVKm— 𝐃𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐔 (@IAm_Diptanu) January 12, 2026
Also WATCH: Nandini Sharma takes a sensational hat-trick in WPL 2026
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
