A delighted Smriti Mandhana commended Gautami Naik’s impressive 73-run knock off 55 balls for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. Despite a shaky start, RCB recovered well, reaching a total of 180+ runs, with Naik playing a crucial role in the team’s batting lineup.
Mandhana, along with Naik, built a significant partnership, guiding RCB to 37/2 at the end of the Power-play. Naik’s stellar performance, supported by Richa Ghosh, propelled RCB’s recovery, with Naik achieving her maiden WPL fifty and Richa contributing 27 runs before being dismissed in the last over.
Naik’s innings ended in the 18th over, but RCB capitalized on the foundation set earlier, with Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil making valuable contributions to secure a strong finish at 178/6. RCB’s aggressive bowling performance, led by Sayali Satghare’s exceptional two-wicket over, further solidified their dominance in the match.
