WPL 2026 Kicks Off Today: A Look Back At The Most Iconic Moments In Women's Premier League History

The Women's Premier League (WPL) is all set to begin from today, Jan. 9, 2026. Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai from 7:30 p.m.

The matches will come thick and fast and before one realises, the Eliminator will soon be upon us on Feb. 3 in Vadodara. The Final will also be held at Baroda Cricket Association Stadium on Feb. 5.

The tournament is still in its infancy as this is only the fourth edition. But it feels like there has already been so many tournament-defining moments in the WPL.

Let's take a look at some of the most-talked about moments from the previous three editions of the WPL:

WPL's first-ever match

MI faced-off against the Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium for the first-ever match of the WPL. It was an emotional moment for India's women cricketers and those who heavily invest themselves in the sport as years of work finally took shape in form of WPL.

The match though turned out to be a damp squib as Mumbai beat Gujarat by 143 runs in a one-sided affair.

WPL's first-ever hat-tick

English seamer Issy Wong picked WPL's first-ever hat-trick. It came in the Eliminator of inaugural edition in 2023 between Mumbai and the UP Warriorz.

Playing for MI, Wong accounted for the wickets of Kiran Navgire, Simran Shaikh and Sophie Ecclestone to write her name in the history books. Mumbai beat the Warriorz to reach the final.

Sophie Devine's breathtaking 99 vs Gujarat Giants

Gujarat and RCB played an incredible match on March 18, 2023 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Batting first, the Giants posted a score of 188/4. New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine led RCB's reply as she blasted 99 of only 36 balls with an incredible strike rate of 275.

In a sumptuous innings, Devine hammered eight sixes and nine fours and looked destined to notch the tournament's first century. But that was not meant to be as she was dismissed one short of the three-figure mark.

But Devine's brutal knock helped RCB chase down the target in just 15.3 overs. The knock remains one of the best displays of power hitting in WPL's short history.

WPL's first-ever five-wicket haul

USA's Tarra Norris picked WPL's first-ever five-wicket haul. Playing for Delhi Capitals in a WPL 2023 match against RCB, the left-arm medium bowler accounted for the wickets of Ellyse Perry, Disha Kasat, Richa Ghosh, Heather Knight, and Kanika Ahuja. Delhi comfortably won the match.

Mumbai Indians become first WPL champions

The first-ever WPL final was played between Mumbai and Delhi on March 26, 2023 at the Brabourne Stadium. Mumbai beat Delhi by seven wickets in a nail-biter and were crowned the first-ever winners of the WPL. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, fittingly, was the first woman to lift the WPL trophy.

Shabnim Ismail bowls the fastest recorded delivery in women's cricket

During a WPL 2024 match between MI and DC on March 5, 2024, South African pacer Shabnim Ismail stunned everyone when the speed gun recorded one of her deliveries at 132.1 kmph. The moment got recorded into the history books as the fastest-ever delivery bowled in women's cricket ever since speeds have been recorded.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru end their long title drought

The 2024 season of the WPL will forever be remembered for the heroics of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The team that had managed to win just two matches in the previous season, but went all the way and clinched the title this time around.

With the win in the final against Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on March 17, RCB ended their franchise's long wait for a men's or women's title. This soon paved the way for the men's team to win the IPL title next year.

Delhi Capitals edge past Mumbai Indians in a last-ball thriller

The second match of the 2025 edition of the WPL saw Delhi take on Mumbai in Vadodara on Feb. 15. Batting first MI had set a target of 165. Delhi took the run-chase down to the final over with 10 runs needed and three wickets remaining.

Delhi scored eight runs from the first four balls of the last over. The fifth ball resulted in a wicket, so it meant that two runs were needed off the final ball. Arundhati Reddy chipped the final ball over the covers as she and Radha Yadav ran hard for two.

Harmanpreet collected the ball returned it to the keeper who dislodged the bails. Mumbai appealed for a possible run-out and the decision went to the third-umpire. The replay showed that Arundhati had made her ground, but only just! Delhi thus completed a thrilling run-chase.

Mumbai Indians return to winning ways

The 2025 final was contested between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals on and Mumbai beat Delhi by eight runs to win the WPL title for the second time.

On the night of the final, two of Mumbai's best players, captain Harmanpreet and all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, played vital roles in team's success. Harmanpreet scored 66 off 44 balls to guide MI to 149/7. Then Sciver-Brunt picked three crucial wickets as DC were restricted to 141/9.

By winning the final, Mumbai became the league's most successful team.