'Hopefully I can bring that' - Smriti Mandhana reveals batting goal ahead of WPL 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana believes her side is well placed heading into the Women’s Premier League 2026, as RCB prepare to open their campaign against defending champions Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday. 

Speaking about RCB’s group and the mindset heading into the new season, Mandhana said, “We’re a young group, but there’s a lot of energy and excitement around the team. Every time we go onto the field, we want to build the right mindset and keep improving, not just look at one result.” 

The RCB captain also revealed a conscious effort to evolve her power game without moving away from her strengths.

“There’s a conscious effort from my side to hit more sixes. I’ve been working quite a bit on my power-hitting, and hopefully I can bring that into the WPL without moving away from timing and my natural game,” she remarked.

“When I look at fancy shots, I know I am still a little away from them. But if I could muscle those sixes, I’ll be very happy with that,” she added. 

Though Ellyse Perry won’t feature for RCB this season, Mandhana spoke about her influence on the squad.

“She’s been amazing for us. We’ve learned so much from her work ethic and the way she carries herself around the group, especially for the younger players. Of course, no one can replace someone like her, but we have a young, high-quality group that’s really gelling together,” she said.

On the broader impact of the Women’s Premier League, Mandhana said,

“It’s always exciting to see talents coming up in WPL. Every WPL is just getting us closer to where we want to be. That shows that WPL has made a lot of impact on us, and everyone knows that if you have a good WPL, especially in the T20 format, you always have a chance.”