Royal Challengers Bengaluru asked UP Warriorz to bat in Vadodara this afternoon, a straightforward call from Smriti Mandhana after two defeats on the bounce. The bigger headline sits one line below the toss: Pooja Vastrakar is back in competitive cricket for the first time since the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Mandhana confirmed the right-hander will play as a specialist batter for now, adding that her “bowling will take time to come back”. That honesty suggests RCB are treating the quick’s return with care, and it leaves most of the seam work to Lauren Bell and Nadine de Klerk.
Gautami Naik, who has three single-digit scores book-ending a lone fifty, makes way. Otherwise RCB keep the XI that has already secured a play-off berth, even if recent form is wobbly.
UPW, stuck at the foot of the table with two wins from six, shuffle harder. England keeper-batter Amy Jones, signed as an injury replacement for Phoebe Litchfield, steps straight in and is expected to open with captain Meg Lanning. Kiran Navgire’s three ducks in six knocks cost her that spot. Power-hitter Simran Shaikh also gets a first game of the season, replacing all-rounder Kiran as Warriorz search for middle-order punch.
On paper the Lanning-Jones pairing looks tidy: they shared plenty of overs at the crease for Melbourne Stars only a few months back in the WBBL. Whether that transfers to a fresh surface in Vadodara matters hugely—UPW probably need to win both remaining matches to sneak into the top three.
Vastrakar’s inclusion strengthens RCB’s batting depth. If she finds rhythm quickly, it eases pressure on Georgia Voll and Richa Ghosh in the middle overs. With the ball, Shreyanka Patil’s off-spin remains central against a Warriorz line-up that leans on left-handers Chloe Tryon and Sophie Ecclestone.
Teams
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (capt), Georgia Voll, Pooja Vastrakar, Richa Ghosh (wk), Radha Yadav, Nadine de Klerk, Sayali Satghare, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Lauren Bell.
UP Warriorz: Meg Lanning (capt), Amy Jones (wk), Harleen Deol, Shweta Sehrawat, Chloe Tryon, Simran Shaikh, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud.
Quick notes
• RCB are already through; a win keeps them in the hunt for a top-two finish and the shorter route to the final.
• Warriorz must win here and in their last fixture, then hope net run-rate works in their favour.
• The Vadodara surface has offered even bounce all season, but chasing under lights has generally been simpler. Mandhana will fancy that trend continuing.
First ball is due shortly; plenty to play for on both sides of the ledger, even if for different reasons.
