UPW Women vs RCB Women, 18th Match, WPL 2026 – The Whole Story

That UPW Women against RCB Women game on January 29, 2026, in Vadodara? Total blowout, but still fun to watch. RCB Women badly needed that win to make the playoffs, and they played like it, nailing their spot in the final and proving why they were top of the table.

Grace Harris? Absolute legend that night. She killed it with both bat and ball, leaving UP Warriorz Women struggling to keep up.

Toss and Weather in Vadodara

RCB Women won the toss and chose to field. It was under the lights at Kotambi Stadium. The pitch looked a bit slow at first, helping the bowlers, but it seemed like it would be good for hitting once batters got used to it. Since dew was expected later, RCB’s choice to chase seemed smart – and it worked out great.

UPW Women had to win to stay in the playoff race, which put a lot of pressure on their hitters.

UP Warriorz Women Get Going

UP Warriorz Women switched up their opening batters for the game. Meg Lanning and Deepti Sharma started off steady, focusing on placing the ball instead of just smashing it. They were careful in the beginning, but both got into a groove and got UPW to a decent score in the first few overs without losing anyone.

Lanning was her usual classy self, while Deepti went for the big shots, using her wrists well to get boundaries. Their partnership gave UPW a shot at a good score.

Middle Overs Change Everything

The game turned around in the middle overs when Nadine de Klerk and Grace Harris got together to totally shift things for RCB. De Klerk struck at just the right times, getting rid of Lanning and Amy Jones one after the other, which slowed UPW down a lot.

With wickets falling, the runs just stopped flowing. Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon, and Shweta Sehrawat couldn’t really speed things up, struggling to hit against some tight bowling. The pressure built up, and UPW kept losing wickets instead of building partnerships.

Deepti Sharma Fights On Her Own

Even though everything was falling apart around her, Deepti Sharma stood strong. She was opening the batting for the first time in the WPL, and looked calm and determined, getting to her half-century with some well-placed shots. Her 55 off 43 balls was what held UPW’s innings together, but she didn’t get much help, so the score wasn’t great.

The last few overs didn’t bring much relief, and UPW only managed to finish at 143 for 8. On a ground where chasing scores is usually easy, that felt a bit short.

RCB Women Start Strong

RCB Women came out firing, chasing 144, with Grace Harris leading the charge. Harris came out swinging, attacking anything loose and putting UPW’s bowlers under pressure right away. Those first few overs were all RCB, as they flew past 60 without losing a wicket.

Smriti Mandhana played it cool early on, getting singles and letting Harris do most of the hitting. That mix of aggression and stability was the key to the chase.

Grace Harris Wins the Game

Grace Harris played an amazing innings that won the match. Her 75 off just 37 balls was incredible, with clean hits, quick running, and great shot selection. She got to her fifty super fast, ruining UPW’s plans.

What was even cooler was that she also took two important wickets earlier in the game. She was named Player of the Match and Cricinfo’s MVP.

Smriti Mandhana Plays Like a Captain

While Harris got all the attention, Smriti Mandhana’s 54 not out off 27 balls was just as important. She timed her innings perfectly, making sure there were no hiccups after Harris got out. Mandhana knew when to go big and finished the chase, showing how much she’s grown as a leader.

She stayed calm and got RCB across the line with a whopping 41 balls left.

Achievements and Records

That UPW Women vs RCB Women game had some awesome moments. Grace Harris had one of the best all-round performances of WPL 2026, scoring a quick fifty and taking two wickets. Nadine de Klerk’s four wickets were awesome as well, which tied the most wickets by an RCB bowler in a WPL season.

For RCB Women, this win proved they were the best in the league, only losing two games all season and getting a direct spot in the final.

Controversies and Points to Talk About

There weren’t any major issues in the game, but people were talking about UPW’s batting strategy. A lot of people wondered if the Warriorz were playing too safe on a pitch that got better for batting later on. The difference between the two innings showed how important it is to adapt in T20 cricket.

My Thoughts

This game really showed the difference between a team that’s confident and settled and one that’s under pressure. RCB Women played with a clear plan and weren’t afraid to go for it, while UPW Women seemed unsure once their top batters were out. Grace Harris was incredible, setting a new standard for all-round performance in the WPL.

UPW won’t be happy with how things ended, but there were good things, like Deepti Sharma playing well up the order.

What’s Next

Looking ahead, Grace Harris is looking good to be a key player in the WPL final, especially with how well she’s playing with both bat and ball. Smriti Mandhana has been consistent, so she’ll probably keep holding down RCB’s batting in the big games.

For UPW Women, Deepti Sharma and Meg Lanning will still be important. If they get more support in the future, UPW could come back strong. As WPL 2026 gets closer to the end, performances like these show why women’s cricket keeps getting better and more popular around the world.