WPL Preview | RCB aim to seal finals spot in must-win clash for UP Warriorz in Vadodara

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women will play their final WPL group stage match against the UP Warriorz Women in Vadodara on Thursday. A positive result for the former would ensure them a direct spot in the final, while their rivals must win to keep themselves alive in the playoff race.

The Women's Premier League match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru-W and UP Warriorz-W will take place on January 29 at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara. The tournament is gradually entering its decisive stage, and every victory becomes especially important in the fight for the playoffs. RCB-W has looked like a more stable team over the past few seasons, although they have suffered several losses in recent matches. UP Warriorz-W has not yet been able to put together a consistent series of results. Special attention will be paid to the captains, Smriti Mandhana and Meg Lanning, who set the pace for their teams' innings.

Form Guide

Royal Challengers Bengaluru-W started the season confidently, winning several games in a row. The team looked good both when batting first and in games where they had to chase. But in the last two games, the team lost, facing problems in the death overs and when scoring under pressure.

UP Warriorz-W are having an uneven season. The team often struggles when batting first, losing wickets in the powerplay. Victories over Mumbai Indians-W were a positive sign, especially due to more confident play in the middle overs and the work of the spinners.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru-W: W W W L L

UP Warriorz-W: L L W W L

Royal Challengers Bengaluru-W vs UP Warriorz-W Head-to-Head

Royal Challengers Bengaluru-W often proved to be stronger in matches against UP Warriorz-W. In matches, the team made better use of their chances with the bat and more often controlled the course of the game in the middle overs. UP Warriorz-W periodically put up a fight, but overall they were inferior in terms of consistency.

RCB-W 4-2 UPW-W

Pitch and Weather

The pitch at BCA Stadium in Kotambi is considered fairly even. At the start of the innings, conditions are favorable for batting, and openers can comfortably rack up runs. As the match progresses, the surface begins to favor spin bowling, making play in the middle overs more cautious. In the evening, dew does not usually have a significant impact. The weather forecast for the day of the match is favorable, with no precipitation expected. The captain who wins the toss will most likely choose to bowl first.

Team News

Royal Challengers Bengaluru-W are likely to field the same lineup. Smriti Mandhana will continue to open the innings, while Grace Harris will be responsible for an aggressive start. Richa Ghosh is important in the middle order and as wicketkeeper. The bowling lineup with Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil remains a key part of the team. There is no injury news ahead of the match.

UP Warriorz-W will continue to rely on experienced players. Meg Lanning remains the main opener, while Deepti Sharma and Sophie Ecclestone should play a key role in bowling. Phoebe Litchfield and Kiran Navgire can speed up the innings, but the middle order needs to be more consistent. Overall, the team's lineup looks familiar.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru-W (Probable XI): Smriti Mandhana (c), Grace Harris, Georgia Voll, Gautami Naik, Richa Ghosh (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sayali Satghare, Arundhati Reddy, Lauren Bell

UP Warriorz-W (Probable XI): Meg Lanning (c), Kiran Navgire, Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon, Shweta Sehrawat (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, Asha Sobhana, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud

Broadcasting Platforms

The Women's Premier League match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru-W and UP Warriorz-W will be available to watch on the official WPL digital platforms, as well as on TV channels broadcasting the tournament in different regions.