Vadodara, Jan 29 (NationPress) The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) triumphed in the toss, opting to bowl first against the UP Warriorz (UPW) during the 18th match of the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium (Kotambi) in Vadodara on Thursday.

After a sluggish beginning, the recent two matches at this venue have demonstrated enhanced batting conditions, with teams scoring over 170 in each of the last four innings. This total was only surpassed once in the initial eight innings. Nevertheless, the last two games have seen teams successfully defend their scores, presenting a tactical dilemma for those chasing.

The UP Warriorz face a significant challenge as Phoebe Litchfield is sidelined for the rest of the tournament due to an injury, leading to Amy Jones being named as her replacement. The Australian player has returned home to initiate her rehabilitation, hoping to recover in time for the multi-format home series against India next month. Amy Jones is set to make her WPL debut.

This match is crucial for the Warriorz, who must secure a victory to keep their qualification hopes alive; a loss would result in their elimination from the tournament. In contrast, RCB has already secured their playoff spot with five consecutive wins at the start of their campaign. Despite facing recent challenges, they continue to lead the table, and a win against UPW will guarantee their place in the final.

After winning the toss, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana stated, “It's a good wicket to bat on, having already played against the Mumbai Indians. We need to bowl in appropriate areas. One thing I've emphasized is to think tactically rather than emotionally. We've executed many things correctly to win the first five; we just need to keep it simple. Someone else might play better cricket, but simplicity is key.”

Regarding the team's lineup, Mandhana mentioned Pooja Vastrakar is making her return to competitive cricket following an extended injury hiatus, saying, “We have one change; Pooja comes in for Gautami. She has been off for a year, and we look forward to her return. She's capable of batting; her bowling will need time, but we'll assess her progress.”

On the other side, UP Warriorz captain Meg Lanning confirmed that Jones has been included in the XI in place of Litchfield. “Every game is a must-win for us, so we have nothing to lose. We took a constructive break, concentrating on areas for improvement, and we're pleased to enter the XI. We've made a couple of changes – Amy Jones replaces Litchfield, and Simran comes in for Navgire. I have a new opening partner,” she mentioned.

Playing XIs:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (c), Georgia Voll, Radha Yadav, Richa Ghosh (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Lauren Bell

UP Warriorz: Meg Lanning (c), Simran Shaikh, Amy Jones (wk), Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon, Deepti Sharma, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana Joy, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud