Nat Sciver-Brunt hits the first century in Women’s Premier League history as Mumbai Indians beat RCB
Mumbai Indians all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt struck an unbeaten 100 off 57 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, becoming the first batter to score a WPL century. Mumbai posted 199/4 and won by 15 runs to stay in the playoff race.
A historic hundred in the WPL
The Women’s Premier League finally has its first century. Mumbai Indians all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt scored an unbeaten 100 off 57 balls on Monday, 26 January 2026, in a WPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, creating a milestone moment for the tournament and for franchise cricket’s women’s game in India.
The knock was both a statistical landmark and a match-shaping innings: Sciver-Brunt’s hundred anchored Mumbai’s batting effort at a time when the contest was described as must-win. In high-pressure matches, the ability to bat deep and control tempo becomes decisive, and her innings provided Mumbai a total that forced RCB to chase at a steep rate from the outset.
Match context: Mumbai set 199 and win by 15
RCB opted to field first, but Mumbai recovered quickly after an early wicket. Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews added 131 runs for the second wicket, with Matthews contributing a brisk 56 off 39 balls. Mumbai finished on 199 for four, a score built on boundary density and sustained momentum through the middle overs.
RCB’s chase fell short, and Mumbai won by 15 runs to keep their playoff hopes alive. For RCB, Lauren Bell was the most successful bowler, returning figures of two wickets for 21 runs in four overs, but the overall total proved too heavy to contain given the pace of scoring and the depth of Mumbai’s batting contributions.
What the milestone says about the league
Beyond the single match, the first WPL century acts as a marker of how the league’s batting standards are evolving. Totals near 200 are becoming more common in top-tier women’s T20 as power-hitting improves and teams optimise match-ups. A first century often arrives when a batter combines clean striking with smart risk management—choosing the right bowlers to attack while minimising dot-ball pressure.
For Mumbai, the innings will likely be remembered as a season-defining boost. For the league, it provides an instantly recognisable highlight that can be replayed whenever the WPL’s early history is discussed, alongside title wins and breakthrough performances that helped establish the competition’s identity.