"In the last over, we could've bowled one good ball": MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur reflects on their loss against RCB

Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 10 (ANI): Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, reflected on their loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening match of Women's Premier League (WPL), saying they gave away chances to and didn't bowl a good ball in the last over, allowing Nadine de Klerk to score the needed runs.
While speaking to reporters after the match on Friday, she emphasised the need to move on and focus on the next match, improving their game. Harmanpreet also mentioned their poor start in the power play and the pitch getting better as the game progressed.
Nadine de Klerk's four-fer, followed by a match-winning half-century, powered RCB to open their account with a win in the opening match of WPL 2026 against MI on Friday in Navi Mumbai.
She slammed 20 runs off the last over to get her side over the line and secure a win by 3 wickets over the defending champions.
"(Last over) we know she [Nadine de Klerk] has that much capacity to score whatever runs are needed in the last over. We just did not bowl one good ball. This happens. We gave her chances, and sometimes, batters come with a strong mindset. We missed those chances. We did everything to win this game, but in the last over, if we could've bowled one good ball, we could have won the match. (Turn around to tomorrow) In WPL, we always get matches like that. If we stay in this game, it will not help us tomorrow. We need to think about what better we can do in the next match. (On the first innings) We did not get a good start in the power play. Hopefully, in the next match, we can sit and discuss how to go about it. It (the pitch) was not easy to bat, but it kept getting better and better," Harmanpreet Kaur said after the match.
The target of 18 runs achieved by RCB is the second most in the final over of a WPL game, only behind 19 by UP Warriorz vs Gujarat Giants in Navi Mumbai back in 2023. (ANI)