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.

Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal announced the sudden death of his son, Agnivesh Agarwal, describing it as the darkest day of his life. Agnivesh, 49, died following a cardiac arrest in New York, where he was undergoing treatment after a skiing accident.

In an emotional message shared on social media, Agarwal said his son had been recovering well at Mount Sinai Hospital and that the family believed the worst phase was over. “But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest snatched our son away from us,” he wrote.

A journey from Patna to corporate leadership

Recalling his son’s life, Agarwal said Agnivesh was born in Patna on June 3, 1976, and grew up in a middle-class family. He studied at Mayo College in Ajmer and later went on to establish Fujeirah Gold.

Over the years, Agnivesh rose to become a prominent business leader, serving as chairman of Hindustan Zinc and leading key responsibilities within the Vedanta group. He was also the chairperson of Vedanta subsidiary Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd.

Despite his professional achievements, Agarwal said his son remained grounded and compassionate. “He was simple, warm, and deeply human,” he noted, adding that to him, Agnivesh was not just a son but also a close friend.

Renewing a promise to society

Agarwal said his son strongly believed in building a self-reliant India and often spoke about the country’s potential. Remembering those conversations, he reaffirmed a shared commitment to give back to society.

“I had promised Agni that more than 75% of what we earn would be given back to society. Today, I renew that promise and resolve to live an even simpler life,” he said.

In his concluding message, Agarwal said he would try to carry forward his son’s values and ideals, adding that Agnivesh would continue to live on through the lives he touched.

Condolences from Prime Minister Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences on the untimely passing of Agnivesh Agarwal. In a message posted on X, he said the loss was deeply shocking and saddening, and offered prayers for strength and courage to the Agarwal family.

Anil Agarwal has two children — his late son Agnivesh and his daughter Priya Agarwal, who serves on the board of Vedanta Ltd. and is the chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected Bangladesh’s request to relocate its T20 World Cup 2026 matches from India to Sri Lanka and warned the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) of possible consequences if the national team refuses to travel, sources have confirmed.

The decision was conveyed during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday, where the ICC informed the BCB that the request could not be accepted, citing security-related assessments already in place for the tournament.

ICC warns of forfeiture if Bangladesh does not travel

According to sources, the ICC made it clear that Bangladesh is obligated to play its scheduled matches in India as part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Failure to comply, the BCB was told, could lead to Bangladesh forfeiting points in the tournament.

No official communication has yet been issued by the ICC, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), or the BCB following the meeting.

World Cup schedule across India and Sri Lanka

The T20 World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Bangladesh has been placed in Group C and is scheduled to begin its campaign in Kolkata with matches against the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14.

The team is then set to travel to Mumbai for its final group-stage match against Nepal on February 17.

Row linked to Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL release

The controversy traces back to the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his IPL contract with Kolkata Knight Riders. The decision followed a directive from the BCCI, which cited the prevailing political situation between India and Bangladesh.

It has been reported that the IPL Governing Council did not hold a formal meeting on the issue and that the instruction was conveyed from the highest level within the BCCI administration.

In response, the BCB banned the telecast of the IPL in Bangladesh this season and subsequently approached the ICC seeking a change in venue for its World Cup matches.

BCB emergency meeting and travel refusal

Following the developments, the BCB convened an emergency meeting of its board of directors to review the situation. In an official release, the board expressed serious concern over the circumstances surrounding Bangladesh’s participation in matches scheduled to be played in India.

The BCB stated that, based on an assessment of the prevailing situation and advice from the Bangladesh government, it had resolved that the national team would not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions.

Despite the BCB’s stance, the ICC has now reaffirmed that Bangladesh must adhere to the existing tournament schedule.