&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "RCB seal playoff spot with commanding 61-run victory against Gujarat Giants")
Royal Challengers Bengaluru continued their dream run in WPL 2026 as they defeated Gujarat Giants by 61 runs at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Monday (Jan 19) to become the first team to qualify for the playoffs. The Smriti Mandhana-led side delivered another complete performance, dominating with both bat and ball to register their fifth straight win of the season. With this victory, RCB not only sealed their playoff spot but also strengthened their position at the top of the points table, underlining their status as the team to beat in the tournament.
Asked to bat first, RCB had a shaky start after losing Grace Harris and Georgia Voll early. The pressure was high, and Gujarat sensed an opening. That is when Gautami Naik walked in and changed the momentum of the innings. She stitched a crucial partnership of 60 runs with Mandhana to steady the ship. While Mandhana played the anchor role, Gautami took on the bowlers and kept the scoreboard moving with smart shots and quick running between the wickets.
Gautami looked in complete control as she brought up her fifty in 42 balls. She continued to attack and punish every loose delivery. After Mandhana’s dismissal, she found good support from Richa Ghosh, and the pair added valuable runs in the middle overs. Gautami eventually fell for a brilliant 73 off 55 balls, but by then she had already laid the platform for a big total. Late cameos from Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil helped RCB post a challenging 178 on the board.
Gujarat’s chase never really got going. Sayali Satghare set the tone with a dream start, removing Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine in quick time. Her early strikes put the Giants under pressure right away. Lauren Bell followed it up with another wicket, and soon Gujarat were struggling to recover from the early damage.
Ashleigh Gardner tried to fight back with a well-made 54, showing great intent and power. However, she found little support from the other end. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals, and the required run rate kept climbing. The middle order failed to build partnerships, which made the task even harder.
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Satghare finished with impressive figures of 3 for 21, while the rest of the bowling unit stayed disciplined and tight. Gujarat were eventually bowled out well short of the target, handing RCB a commanding 61-run victory.
With five wins in a row, RCB look settled and confident. Different players are stepping up at different times, making them a strong and balanced side.
