RCB Predicted Playing 11 vs MI for Match 7 of WPL 2025
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are flying high in the 2025 edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL). The defending champions are happily placed atop the points table and are the only unbeaten team in the competition so far, with four points from two matches.
Given that they are in excellent form, RCB will not be tempted to make many changes ahead of their clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday, February 21. In the first match of the Bengaluru leg, the home franchise should stick to the same team that got them over the line in a comfortable fashion against the Delhi Capitals (DC).
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.
On that note, here is RCB's predicted playing XI for Match 7 of WPL 2025.
Openers: Smriti Mandhana (c) and Danni Wyatt-Hodge
Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge failed in the team's first game of WPL 2025, but both of them came to the party against DC. That will augur well for RCB, with MI having a potent powerplay bowling attack in the form of Shabnim Ismail, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews.
Middle Order: Raghvi Bist, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham
Bengaluru are unlikely to make any changes to their middle order.
Raghvi Bist, Kanika Ahuja and Richa Ghosh add some domestic flair, hitting ability and consistency to the lineup. Ellyse Perry and Georgia Wareham, with their overseas pedigree and experience, support the Indian players well.
Perry seems to be in excellent nick right now even as she hasn't been cleared to bowl, while Wareham picked up an important three wickets in the last game to beef up a shorthanded spin attack.
Lower Order: Ekta Bisht, Kim Garth, Joshitha VJ, Renuka Singh Thakur
RCB brought in Ekta Bisht for Prema Rawat in the previous game, and the left-arm spinner fared decently. With MI having a bunch of right-handers in the middle order, the defending champions could persist with Bisht.
Renuka Singh Thakur has led the pace attack well, with Kim Garth chipping in with a couple of wickets against DC. Joshitha VJ hasn't had as much of an impact, but the Royal Challengers are currently winning games and shouldn't be tempted to switch things up.
Sneh Rana's presence on the bench will give RCB a question or two, but having a third pace option in the form of Joshitha should help them, at least until Perry is fit to roll her arm over.