MI vs RCB Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2025 match?

For the first time in the history of the Women's Premier League (WPL), both participating teams will rock up to a contest with a trophy each in their respective cabinets. The inaugural champions, the Mumbai Indians (MI), will face off against the defending champions, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), on Friday, February 21.

The encounter will mark the start of the Bengaluru leg of the WPL. RCB, who won three of their five matches at the venue last year, will feel right at home in front of their vociferous fans. MI, who have an even better record at the venue, won't be too bothered by the trip from Vadodara to Bengaluru.

RCB are on the back of a thumping win over the Delhi Capitals (DC), before which they dispatched the Gujarat Giants (GG) thanks to a power-packed chase. MI went down to the Capitals in controversial circumstances but bounced back with a comfortable win over GG.

Mumbai Indians Squad: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana, Shabnim Ismail, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Saika Ishaque, Jintimani Kalita, Chloe Tryon, Parunika Sisodia, Amandeep Kaur, G Kamalini, Sanskriti Gupta, Akshita Maheshwari, Nadine de Klerk.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Smriti Mandhana (c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Sabbhineni Meghana, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Renuka Thakur Singh, Ekta Bisht, Heather Graham, Charlie Dean, Sneh Rana, Jagravi Pawar, Nuzhat Parween, Joshitha VJ.

Which team will continue their winning momentum?

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WPL 2025: MI and RCB look to sustain winning momentum

Australia v India - Women's ODI Series: Game 3 - Source: Getty

RCB, despite having lost Shreyanka Patil, Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, Kate Cross and Asha Sobhana, seem to be a well-oiled unit. Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on an impressive opening partnership in the previous game, and Ellyse Perry seems to be in great nick.

The domestic batting stars, including Kanika Ahuja and Richa Ghosh, have already made match-winning contributions. In the bowling department, Renuka Singh Thakur is having what can already be classified as her best WPL season till date. Georgia Wareham, who struggled in RCB's first game of the competition, returned to form with a three-fer in the previous game.

So how can MI get one over the defending champions? RCB seem well-rounded in both departments, but they certainly aren't a complete outfit. Kim Garth and Joshitha VJ make up a slightly unconvincing pace attack, with Renuka still needing to prove herself with a sustained run of performances.

The key to Mumbai's chances will be how Hayley Matthews and Yastika Bhatia fare in the powerplay. The duo haven't delivered in the two matches thus far, and MI can't be reliant on the middle order to pull them through each time.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. clearly have a better bowling unit, with options in all departments despite an injury to Pooja Vastrakar and form concerns surrounding Saika Ishaque, who was dropped against DC. There's enough depth in the batting as well, with G Kamalini coming in for Jintimani Kalita in the aforementioned game.

RCB will take heart from playing at home and will enter the contest as the favorites. However, an upset could be on the cards if MI make the right tactical decisions.

Matthews can be favored to get the better of Mandhana, following which MI can run through the RCB middle order with Amelia Kerr and Parunika Sisodia. There's plenty of firepower at Mumbai's disposal to chase down any total the home team put up as well.

This might not be a popular pick, but MI might just have what it takes to hand RCB their first loss of the ongoing WPL season. Nevertheless, it must be said that predictions are greatly dependent on the toss, with history suggesting that the chasing team will have a significant advantage in Bengaluru as well.

Prediction: MI to win Match 7 of WPL 2025.