Royal Challengers Bengaluru opened their Women’s Premier League 2026 campaign with a dramatic three-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians, riding on a sensational all-round performance from Nadine de Klerk in Navi Mumbai on Friday.

Opting to bowl first, RCB restricted Mumbai Indians to 154 for 6 in 20 overs, with de Klerk emerging as the standout performer. The South African all-rounder returned figures of 4 for 26, repeatedly breaking partnerships and preventing MI from building momentum.

Mumbai had found themselves in early trouble after being reduced to 67 for 4 in the 11th over. Gunalan Kamalini top-scored with 32 at the top, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur made 20. The innings was revived by Sajeevan Sajana, who played a fluent knock of 45 off 25 balls, hitting seven fours and a six. She added 82 runs for the fifth wicket with Nicola Carey, who contributed 40, helping MI post a competitive total.

Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil picked up one wicket each for RCB, while the match began with Bell delivering a maiden over that set the tone for the bowling effort.

RCB stumble before de Klerk’s rescue act

Chasing 155, RCB got off to a brisk start through Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris, who scored 18 and 25 respectively. The opening pair attacked early, but both fell in quick succession, triggering a collapse that saw RCB slip from 47 for 2 to 65 for 5 within a few overs.

Richa Ghosh, Dayalan Hemalatha and Radha Yadav departed cheaply, leaving RCB in deep trouble at 75 for 5 halfway through the chase. With wickets falling around her, de Klerk held firm, finding support briefly from Arundhati Reddy, who scored 20.

Last-over drama seals RCB victory

The match went down to the final over with RCB needing 18 runs and three wickets in hand. De Klerk rose to the occasion, striking a six and a four off the third and fourth deliveries before hammering another six off the penultimate ball. She then drove the final delivery for a four to complete an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls, sealing a memorable win for RCB.

RCB finished on 157 for 7, with Prema Rawat remaining not out on 8. For Mumbai Indians, Nicola Carey and Amelia Kerr claimed two wickets each, while Nat Sciver-Brunt, Shabnim Ismail and Amanjot Kaur took one apiece.

The WPL 2026 season thus began with a high-octane contest, highlighted by Nadine de Klerk’s match-winning performance with both bat and ball.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has sent a second formal communication to the International Cricket Council (ICC), outlining specific security concerns related to travelling to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, according to media reports.

The renewed correspondence comes amid growing internal differences within the BCB over whether Bangladesh should participate in the tournament in India or push for a venue change to Sri Lanka. The global event is scheduled to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh slated to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.

According to a source close to the board, the latest letter was sent after discussions between the BCB and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul. The ICC had sought clarity on the nature of Bangladesh’s security apprehensions, prompting the board to detail its concerns in the second communication.

However, the contents of the letter have not been made public.

Board divided over travel to India

Media reports indicate that the Bangladesh Cricket Board itself remains split on the issue. One section of the board supports Asif Nazrul’s firm position against travelling to India, while another group prefers continued dialogue with the ICC and Indian authorities.

The latter faction is said to be advocating for enhanced and foolproof security arrangements for the Bangladesh team throughout its stay in India, rather than an outright refusal to participate.

Nazrul, who has previously expressed strong views against India, is believed to have taken a tougher stance than the board’s traditionally cooperative approach with Indian cricket authorities.

Government backs demand for venue change

Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain has meanwhile confirmed that the national team will not travel to India for the World Cup, citing safety concerns. He said the government supports the sports adviser’s demand that Bangladesh’s matches be relocated to Sri Lanka, a co-host of the tournament.

“We will certainly play outside India,” Hossain was quoted as saying, adding that the safety of players and supporters travelling to India must be taken into account.

The standoff follows the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL earlier, after Indian cricket authorities cited unspecified “developments all around.” That decision reportedly came in the backdrop of incidents involving attacks on minorities in Bangladesh.

ICC yet to decide on venue shift

As of now, the ICC has not indicated whether it will move Bangladesh’s matches from Kolkata and Mumbai to Colombo. However, the BCB has maintained that the global body has shown willingness to engage with the board to assess the security concerns raised.

With the tournament approaching, uncertainty continues to surround Bangladesh’s participation in matches scheduled to be held in India.

In an unprecedented decision, the Government of Bangladesh has ordered an immediate ban on the telecast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) across the country, following a controversy involving national fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman and his exclusion from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad.

The move comes amid strong resentment in Bangladesh over a directive linked to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which led to Mustafizur Rahman being released from KKR ahead of the 2026 IPL season. The pacer, regarded as one of Bangladesh’s most prominent cricketers, was expected to play a key role for the franchise.

Government cites public sentiment and lack of justification

In an official statement, the Bangladesh government said it had taken note of the decision concerning Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the IPL squad and expressed disappointment over the absence of a clear explanation.

The statement said the decision had “pained, saddened, and aggrieved the people of Bangladesh,” adding that no rational reason for the move was known. Under these circumstances, authorities directed broadcasters to stop the telecast of all IPL matches and related programmes until further notice.

The order, the statement added, was issued with approval from the competent authority and in the public interest.

Possible impact on T20 World Cup participation

The dispute has also widened beyond the IPL. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has approached the International Cricket Council (ICC), requesting that Bangladesh’s matches in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup be shifted out of India.

According to the communication sent on January 4, 2026, Bangladesh has conveyed that it would not send its national team to India for the tournament scheduled to begin on February 7. The board has asked for its fixtures, originally planned in Mumbai and Kolkata, to be relocated to Sri Lanka, citing concerns over player security and trust.

The developments have raised the prospect of prolonged strain in cricketing ties between India and Bangladesh, with potential implications for future bilateral engagements.