RCB eye further momentum as they kickstart Vadodara leg with Gujarat Giants clash
With four wins in the bank and a comfortable lead from their closest contender, RCB stands on the cusp of qualification for the WPL playoffs. Four consecutive wins with different contenders stepping up for each occasion has done a world of good in terms of confidence for the Royal Challengers.
As they gear up for the second half of the league stage fixtures, they will be up against the mighty Gujarat Giants. Currently in the third position with two wins from four games, the Giants will be hopeful of putting up a strong show. The last time these two teams clashed a couple of days ago, the Giants cornered RCB early on. However, a scintillating partnership between Richa Ghosh and Radha Yadav came to their deliverance.
With Smriti Mandhana getting back amongst runs, there will be more worries than resolve for the Giants. However, cricket can be a great leveller and that will keep RCB on their toes. They will be hopeful of extending that winning run of theirs up top while eyeing further momentum along the way. With the kind of firepower that both sides bring to the platter, one might expect a full-blown cracker to unfurl.
Venue watch:
The surface in Vadodara has always been a batting-friendly track. There are very limited traces of spongy bounce while batters usually get full value for their shots. The new ball will have movement but as the game progresses, the onset of dew will make life a lot easier for the batters.
Match details:
Match – Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Venue – Vadodara International Cricket Stadium, Kotambi
Date –19th January, 2026
Time – 7:30 PM
Head-to-head:
Matches played - 7
RCB - 4
GG – 3
Squads:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Smriti Mandhana (c), Richa Ghosh, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Grace Harris, Gautami Naik, Prathyoosha Kumar, D. Hemalatha
Gujarat Giants:
Ashleigh Gardner (c), Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Titas Sadhu, Kashvee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Tanuja Kanwer, Georgia Wareham, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Yastika Bhatia, Shivani Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni
