The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 continues its high-octane action as the unbeaten Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB-W) face a surging Gujarat Giants (GG-W) in Match 9 at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy. RCB-W, led by Smriti Mandhanaare currently at the top of the table after dominant wins against Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz. Meanwhile, the Giants, captained by Ashleigh Gardnerlook like a completely revamped unit this season, having already posted two 200+ scores despite a recent slip-up against Mumbai.

RCB-W vs GG-W, WPL 2026: Match Details

• Date and Time: January 16 (Friday); 7:30 pm IST / 2:00 pm GMT
• Venue: Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai

RCB-W vs GG-W, WPL 2026, Head-to-Head Record:

Matches played: 6 | RCB-W won: 3 | GG-W won: 3 | No result: 0

Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy Pitch Report

The surface in Navi Mumbai is a batter’s paradise, characterized by a true bounce and a lightning-quick outfield. With relatively short square boundaries, fans can expect another high-scoring thriller. While the new ball might offer some swing and carry for the likes of Renuka Singh and Lauren Bell, the pitch typically settles into a flat track. As the match progresses into the evening, dew is expected to play a major role, making it difficult for spinners to grip the ball in the second innings. Consequently, the captain winning the toss will almost certainly elect to bowl first.

Team dynamics and key players

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: RCB-W are the team to beat this season. Their opening pair has been electric, with Grace Harris fresh off a bruising 85 and Smriti Mandhana providing stable support. The middle order features the finishing prowess of Richa Ghosh and the all-round clinical edge of Nadine de Klerk. Their bowling has been equally impressive, with Lauren Bell providing Powerplay breakthroughs and Shreyanka Patil controlling the middle overs with her crafty off-spin.

Gujarat Giants: The Giants are playing with a fearless brand of cricket. Sophie Devineplaying against her former franchise, has been the standout performer with both bat and ball, including a near-century earlier in the tournament. Skipper Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney provide a lethal core that can dismantle any attack. The inclusion of Renuka Singh has bolstered their local bowling talent, while Georgia Wareham offers elite leg-spin and lower-order hitting. Their main challenge will be maintaining discipline in the death overs against RCB’s hitters.

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (c), Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Grace Harris, Gautami Naik, Prathyoosha Kumar, D. Hemalatha, Sayali Satghare.

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (c), Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Titas Sadhu, Kashee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Tanuja Kanwer, Georgia Wareham, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Yastika Bhatia, Shivani Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni.

RCB-W vs GG-W, WPL 2026: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• RCB-W wins the toss and bowls first
• Gujarat Giants’ Powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
• Gujarat Giants’ total score: 175-190

Case 2:

• Gujarat Giants wins the toss and bowls first
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Powerplay score: 55-65 (6 overs)
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s total score: 185-200

Match result: Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win the contest.

Also WATCH: Nandini Sharma takes a sensational hat-trick in WPL 2026

This article was first published at WomenCricket.coma Read company.