WPL 2026 so far: Sixes surge, batting recoveries, retired outs and more

The last time a team opted to bat after winning the toss in the WPL was in the 2024 final in Delhi, wherein the Delhi Capitals eventually went down to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by eight wickets. In the 33 matches across the 2025 and the ongoing edition, captains have preferred chasing, and the results vindicate that to a great extent. Six of the 11 matches in WPL 2026 have been won by the chasing side, and DC-W were on course in pursuit of 210 against Gujarat Giants, only to stumble against Sophie Devine when they needed seven off the final over.

Expect more of the same in the second half, for each of the six Women's T20s played at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara - all in WPL 2025 - were won by the chasing side, the average first-innings score across these games being 156. Overall, 21 of the 33 games in the WPL since 2025 have been won by the side batting second, including the tied finish between UP Warriorz and RCB in Bengaluru last year.

The average first innings score across the first three WPL editions read 157, 164 and 153 respectively, and that has risen to 177 in 2026. There has been a proper surge in batting numbers, and the frequency of sixes.

15 of the 21 50-plus scores in WPL 2026 have been by the overseas batters, and three of the six by the Indians came in the last three days of the Navi Mumbai leg. There is a clear distinction overall in how the Indian batters have fared, compared to the overseas counterparts.

Overseas batters have struck at 150.48 in WPL 2026, compared to 138.76, 122.82 and 135.48 respectively in the first three editions. The balls/six ratio for visiting batters reads 18.45 in 2026, a significant upgrade from the previous editions: 25.75 in 2023, 37.2 in 2024 and 28.66 in 2025.

Seamers have been the clear winners in the bowling department in the competition thus far on all parameters, and have been more impactful in the first innings (Avg: 22.37, ER: 8.08), compared to the second (Avg: 28.14, ER: 8.5). Spinners have fared slightly better in the second half (Avg: 35.5, ER: 9.14) compared to the first (Avg: 38.72, ER: 9.58).

The two teams that have been more reliant on spin are currently at the bottom of the points table, despite the quality - especially for UPW, who have Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma - two of the best - in their ranks. RCB-W's success could be attributed to an in-form Lauren Bell, who has been impeccable with the new-ball.

Be it the Nadine de Klerk heist in the tournament opener or the Shafali Verma-led brilliant counter-attack on Saturday, January 17, WPL 2026 has seen a host of batting recoveries from unlikely situations. RCB-W gunned down the 155-run target off the final ball after being down at 65/5 in the former, while Shafali and Lucy Hamilton's heroics powered DC-W to 166, after they had been reduced to 10 for 4 in the second over.

Run-scoring has improved despite the seamers striking more frequently in the powerplay than any of the previous editions (SR: 23.2 compared to 27 across 2023-2025), with batters in the middle-order and lower-order faring much better this time around.

We have had eight retired outs in T20 cricket in 2026 already - six in the Men's game and two in the Women's. GG-W called back Ayushi Soni (11 off 14) against MI-W, and it worked as Bharti Fulmali smashed an unbeaten 36* off 15 at the back end (though it eventually ended in a losing cause). UPW called back a well-set Harleen Deol (47 off 36) against DC-W to make way for Chloe Tryon, and it backfired, as they could manage just 24/5 in the last five overs in a game they went on to lose off the final ball.

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