Vadodara, Jan 25 (NationPress) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) seam-bowling all-rounder Nadine de Klerk stated that the team will absorb lessons from their initial defeat in the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) and come back stronger after a seven-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals at the BCA Stadium.

“It was a rather disappointing day, yet we recognize that we are far superior to that performance. Everyone experiences a rough day or two; it’s better to have it now than during the knockout matches. We understand our capabilities and will return even stronger for our upcoming game,” Nadine mentioned in a franchise release on Sunday.

She also highlighted the evolving conditions in Vadodara. "We've observed that in the last few matches, it's challenging to score in the first innings, unlike DY Patil. The matches tend to have lower scores, and we need to exert more effort to earn our runs and stay focused. We’ll carry these insights into the next match."

Captain Smriti Mandhana, who led the scoreboard with 38 runs off 34 balls, acknowledged the team’s determination despite the setback. "In defeat, many positive aspects can be overlooked. One thing I appreciated was that after six overs, every bowler communicated about maintaining fielders and creating pressure.

"Instead of playing it safe, everyone aimed for wickets without needing my direction. That, in my view, reflects a winning mindset," she expressed.

Head Coach Malolan Rangarajan conceded that the team had been outperformed but emphasized the positives. “We need to accept that we were outclassed today. Our performance didn’t meet expectations. However, the way Smriti and Grace initiated the innings showcased significant effort.

"Regarding our preparations, let's commit ourselves. Challenges will always arise, but we must trust our process and strengths. We’ll have less than 48 hours to rectify our performance," he added.