The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 kicked off with high drama both on and off the field as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana was visibly irritated by a cameraperson who got too close during her pre-match throwdown practice session. A short video clip, now going viral across social media platforms, shows the Indian vice-captain and star opener preparing at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai ahead of RCB's thrilling three-wicket victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday, January 9, 2026.
In the footage, Mandhana is seen facing throwdowns when the cameraperson steps in unusually close, seemingly to capture a close-up shot. The 29-year-old batter pauses, looks directly at the camera with clear annoyance, gestures subtly in frustration, and continues her practice with a visible change in body language. Fans and cricket enthusiasts have flooded comment sections, with many criticizing the intrusion on player focus during warm-ups, while others noted that such moments are common in high-profile events but rarely captured so candidly.
Despite the early distraction, Mandhana managed 18 off 13 deliveries in the match—before—a solid but not explosive start — before South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk stole the show with an explosive unbeaten knock that sealed a memorable chase for RCB. The Red and Gold side overturned a challenging situation to pull off the win, marking a strong start to the season after enduring several heartbreaking thrillers in the previous edition.
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Post-match, Mandhana was all smiles as she reflected on the game during the presentation ceremony:
"I think for the first match of the WPL, it was a thriller. And RCB are known to play thrillers. Last year, we were on the receiving end of these matches, so we're happy that we pulled it off. Brilliant from Nadine to finish the match like that. Everyone was pretty positive. We were having a laugh. Even when things were not going well, everyone was pretty positive."
She also highlighted de Klerk's clutch performance, drawing parallels to her heroics for South Africa during the 2025 Women's World Cup:
"Yeah, we saw that in Visakhapatnam when she played that innings against us (during the World Cup). And I was just telling our head coach, Malolan, that I think we were in a similar situation against South Africa in the World Cup match, and she pulled it off. And I think when she got dropped, we just said that when we dropped, Sajana got runs—let us hope she gets two sixes. And she actually got them."
The viral clip has reignited discussions about player privacy and media conduct during practice sessions in the WPL, with many calling for better guidelines to ensure players' preparation zones remain undisturbed. Meanwhile, the on-field action lived up to the billing, with the clash between Harmanpreet Kaur (MI captain and India skipper) and Smriti Mandhana (RCB captain and India vice-captain) delivering the expected intensity following India's historic World Cup triumph last year.
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