In a historic display of resilience and skill, Royal Challengers Bengaluru maintained their unbeaten streak in WPL 2026 by defeating the Gujarat Giants in a high-voltage Match 9 at the DY Patil Stadium. After recovering from a staggering top-order collapse to post 182, the Bengaluru side utilized a clinical bowling effort to stifle the Giants’ chase. The evening was highlighted by extraordinary fielding and a career-best bowling performance that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. This 32-run victory not only cements RCB’s position at the top of the table but also showcases their ability to dominate even when pushed to the brink. With this third consecutive win, Smriti Mandhana’s squad has firmly established themselves as the team to beat in the current campaign.

The Radha Yadav and Richa Ghosh rescue for RCB

The match began with a chaotic first innings where the Giants’ pacers appeared to have secured an early victory, reducing RCB to a precarious 43/4 during the powerplay. However, the game shifted dramatically thanks to a magnificent 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Radha Yadav and Richa Ghosh. Radha played the anchor role to perfection, striking a career-best 66 off 47 balls to notch her maiden WPL fifty, while Richa provided the explosive counter-punch with a rapid 44 off 28.

Despite a stunning one-handed catch by debutant Shivani Singh to dismiss Dayalan Hemalatha earlier in the day, the Giants’ bowlers had no answer for the duo’s middle-over assault. A late cameo of 26 off 12 by Nadine de Klerk further propelled the score, ensuring RCB reached a formidable 182/7. Even with Sophie Devine’s tactical 3/31 at the death, the momentum had firmly swung in favor of the Bengaluru side as they prepared to defend a target that required the Giants to maintain a record-breaking run rate under the lights.

Also WATCH: WPL 2026: Arundhati Reddy stuns Sophie Devine with a blinder in RCB-W vs GG-W game

Shreyanka Patil’s historic fifer and the Grace Harris flying catch

The second innings was a masterclass in spin-bowling and athletic fielding, spearheaded by a historic five-wicket haul from the young sensation Shreyanka Patil. Shreyanka’s figures of 5/23 effectively dismantled the Giants’ chase, starting with the crucial dismissal of Beth Mooney (27) after a successful LBW review that turned the game on its head.

The pressure was compounded by Arundhati Reddy, who took an unbelievable return catch to remove Devine, and Grace Harris, who produced the catch of the night. Stationed at mid-off, Harris sprinted forward and executed a full-length, horizontal dive to pluck the ball inches off the ground, dismissing the dangerous Bharti Fulmali (39) off Lauren Bell’s bowling. As the required rate soared, Shreyanka returned to clean up the tail, utilizing her deceptive carrom balls to trap the lower order and secure her maiden fifer. The Giants were eventually bundled out for 150 in the 19th over, as RCB’s clinical discipline across all departments secured a comprehensive victory.

Here’s how fans reacted:

From 43/4 to ending up with 182 and a convincing win by 32 runs for RCBW to remain on top of the table. Excellent overall performance. Class early on with the bat from Radha and Richa and followed by a 5 wicket for Shreyanka. Well played.

— Prasanna (@prasannalara) January 16, 2026

Really doubted whether Shreyanka will deliver this season after seeing her repeated injuries and less match time… But she has delivered so far big time.

— arfan (@Im__Arfan) January 16, 2026

RCB trusted Shreyanka and she delivering

— Yuva ® (@Yuva_Sanchari) January 16, 2026

We just retained Shreyanka for just 60 lakhs 😭😭 steal .

— Sai (@akakrcb6) January 16, 2026

Shreyanka Patil you beauty 👸 pic.twitter.com/k4SbCYmy2O

— RCB TWEETS (@fcRCBtweets) January 16, 2026

Radha Yadav has spent 76% of her T20 career at No.8 or below. Never made 30 runs in an innings. Today at No.5, with 4 wickets down in powerplay, she smashed 66 off 47. Sometimes the person you ask to clean up after party is the one who should’ve been invited all along… pic.twitter.com/TsabuCV6l1

— Abhishek AB (@ABsay_ek) January 16, 2026

Radha Yadav has played so well with bat , Twitter itself crashed.

— Sai (@akakrcb6) January 16, 2026

Elon Musk, you aren’t gonna see heaven, can’t able to tweet about Radha when she played once in a generational innings.

— Shailesh (@shailesh18_) January 16, 2026

Queen Radha, sorry if I ever doubted your batting prowess🙇‍♀️

— Siya (@siyaagrawal18) January 16, 2026

Shreyanka Patil guides RCB to victory#cricket #RCBvGG #WPL2026 pic.twitter.com/JOKBIzKhhM

— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) January 16, 2026

Also WATCH: WPL 2026: Debutant Shivani Singh pulls off a jaw-dropping one-handed stunner during RCB-W vs GG-W clash

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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NEW DELHI: Several Indian nationals, returned from Iran, arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi late on Friday amid escalating regional tensions. Their return follows an advisory issued by the Indian government urging citizens in Iran to leave the country due to the deteriorating security situation. The Ministry of External Affairs said it is closely monitoring developments and remains “committed to doing whatever is necessary for their well-being.”One Indian national who returned from Iran described it as “bad situation” and expressed gratitude to the government for facilitating their departure. “The conditions are bad there. The Government of India is cooperating a lot, and the Embassy provided us with information on leaving Iran as early as possible…’Modi ji hai toh har cheez mumkin hai’,” he said. Another returnee told ANI that conditions had worsened sharply in recent weeks. “We were there for a month. But we were only facing problems for the last one or two weeks…When we went outside, the protesters would come in front of the car. They would cause a little trouble…The internet was shut down, which is why we couldn’t tell our families anything, so we were a little worried…We couldn’t even contact the embassy,” he said. A third Indian national, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, highlighted the risks posed by the unrest. “I am a resident of Jammu and Kashmir… The protests there were dangerous. The Indian government has made a very good effort and brought the students back…” he said. Family members of those returning gathered at the airport to welcome them home. Among them was a family awaiting the arrival of an aunt who had travelled to Iran on pilgrimage. “My wife’s aunt went to Iran on a pilgrimage…Iran has always been a good friend of India and we were very confident in the Modi government, which continuously supported…We thank the government of India for making this possible. We are very happy as our family member is returning to India,” a relative said. Another man waiting for his sister-in-law thanked the authorities for coordinating the evacuation. “My sister-in-law is returning from Iran today. There was a war-like situation in Iran, and the internet was down. We were not able to contact her by any means. We were worried…We are very happy that she is returning to India safely…We thank the Government of India for making arrangements for their return to India during these difficult times,” he said. A family member of two returnees said communication had been cut off for days. “My mother and aunt are returning from Iran. We were worried because we were unable to contact her for three days…They are returning to India today,” he said. Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Tehran issued an advisory asking Indian nationals, including students, businesspeople, pilgrims and tourists, to leave Iran using available transport options, including commercial flights, citing the “evolving situation.” Separately, the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi strongly advised Indians to avoid travel to Iran until further notice. It reiterated a January 5 advisory urging those already in the country to remain cautious and avoid protests or demonstrations. The unrest began at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar on December 28 over the sharp fall in the Iranian rial and later spread nationwide. The currency’s decline followed multiple crises, including severe water shortages, power outages, rising unemployment and surging inflation.

BENGALURU: With just 17 net hires in the first nine months of the 2025-26 financial year, India’s top five IT companies eased off the hiring throttle and moved firmly into caution mode. The muted performance marked a sharp contrast to the 17,764 net additions recorded during the same period last year, highlighting how the hiring engine became leaner amid AI-led delivery models. In fact, at some IT companies, recent acquisitions propped up headcount numbers, without which net additions would be flat or even negative.Headcount additions running into just the tens across the top five Indian IT firms continued to be a casualty, raising concerns for students. This reflected deep hiring restraint amid macro uncertainty, pullbacks in discretionary spending, and AI-led productivity pressures, with early signs of a decoupling of headcount growth from revenue. TCS remained the biggest drag on overall numbers, shedding 25,816 employees in the first nine months of the current financial year after it announced that it will cut 2% of its workforce, or over 12,000 employees, largely impacting mid-level and senior executives. Over the same period, Infosys added 13,456, Wipro 9,740, HCLTech 1,885, and Tech Mahindra 752 employees, respectively.In the Dec quarter alone, the combined headcount of the five Indian IT firms declined by 2,174 employees, with TCS alone seeing a sharp reduction of 11,151. Infosys and Wipro, however, added 5,043 and 6,529 employees, respectively. Phil Fersht, CEO of US-based IT advisory firm HfS Research, said the headline number is stark but reflected a structural shift rather than a cyclical pause. He said there is a fundamental move away from the historic pyramid-led growth model, where headcount expansion powered growth, as three converging forces reshape the IT services industry. Fersht said discretionary spending remained under pressure, with clients sweating existing assets and pushing harder on productivity. “Second, AI and automation are starting to show up in delivery metrics. While AI is not yet driving large-scale revenue acceleration, it is clearly reducing the need for incremental hiring, especially at junior and mid levels. This is where the decoupling between revenue and headcount is becoming visible,” he said.

TCS, however, refrained from calling out its 40,000 campus hiring number this year which it did in the past, signalling a more cautious stance on fresher recruitment. Firms such as TCS are actively rebalancing their workforce, with the scale of reductions pointing to internal productivity resets, role consolidation, and a sharper focus on utilisation rather than growth-led hiring. Organic growth across the IT sector remained anemic, with demand recovery uneven, deal ramp-ups slower, and discretionary spending subdued. Margins on large deals continued to face pressure as competitive pricing and higher productivity commitments limited profitability. While global capability centres (GCCs) continued to add talent, hiring was no longer at the same pace as before, with industry experts noting that recruitment is highly selective and skill-specific.Ray Wang, CEO of US-based Constellation Research, said a combination of exponential AI-driven efficiency and changing client expectations created a low-hire, low-fire environment. “Single-digit growth is not only being cheered but is becoming the new reality. Services firms that have gained the most ground are AI-first, AI-exponential players that are able to exceed $100,000 in revenue per employee with around 25% digital labour. This mega trend has permanently reshaped the services industry landscape,” he said.

Saurashtra’s Vishvaraj Jadeja (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

Saurashtra marched into the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 with a dominant nine-wicket win over Punjab in the second semi-final on Friday, riding on a sensational unbeaten century from opener Vishvaraj Jadeja. The victory sets up a title clash against Vidarbha, scheduled for January 18. Chasing a competitive target of 292, Saurashtra made light work of the chase, finishing the job in just 39.3 overs. Jadeja was the standout performer, remaining not out on 165 from 127 balls, an innings that included 18 fours and three sixes. He was well supported at the other end by captain Harvik Desai, who played a composed knock of 64 off 63 deliveries, striking nine boundaries. The opening pair stitched together a decisive 172-run partnership that effectively took the game away from Punjab.

After Desai’s dismissal, Prerak Mankad ensured there were no late hiccups, contributing an unbeaten 52 off 49 balls with seven fours as Saurashtra cruised home. Gurnoor Brar was the only bowler to find success for Punjab, returning figures of 1 for 52. Earlier in the day, Punjab posted 291 after being asked to bat first, thanks largely to Anmolpreet Singh and Prabhsimran Singh. The pair provided stability after a steady opening stand of 60 between Prabhsimran and Harnoor Singh. Harnoor was run out in the 13th over following a sharp effort from Chirag Jani, departing for 33 off 43 balls. Anmolpreet anchored the innings with a well-crafted 100 off 105 deliveries, hitting nine fours and a six, while Prabhsimran chipped in with a fighting 87. Ramandeep Singh added 42 off 38 balls, but the lower order failed to build on the platform. Saurashtra’s bowlers kept things in check, with Chetan Sakariya leading the attack with figures of 4 for 60, supported by Ankur Panwar’s 2 for 54 and Chirag Jani’s 2 for 73.

During the high-voltage Match 9 of WPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) seamer Arundhati Reddy produced a moment of pure magic to dismiss the dangerous Sophie Devine. In a contest already overflowing with highlights, Reddy’s lightning-fast reflexes during the fourth over of Gujarat Giants‘ chase turned the tide back in favor of the Bengaluru side. The dismissal was a testament to the high-quality fielding standards of the tournament, leaving the powerhouse New Zealander stunned and providing RCB with their first massive breakthrough of the evening. This catch has quickly gone viral as one of the most clinical caught-and-bowled efforts in the history of the league, proving that Reddy is as much a threat in the field as she is with the ball.

The Arundhati Reddy screamer: A masterclass in reflexes to remove Sophie Devine 

The dismissal of Sophie Devine in the 3.4 over was a perfect example of a bowler anticipating a batter’s aggression and reacting with split-second precision. Arundhati Reddy, who has been in exceptional form this season, opted for a slower, back-of-a-length delivery on off-stump, a tactical choice designed to bait Devine into a big shot. Devine, sensing an opportunity to clear the infield, rocked back and struck a ferocious, flat-batted smack right back toward the bowler’s head. With the ball travelling at a devastating speed, Reddy barely had time to blink, yet she instinctively stuck her hands out slightly to her left during her follow-through.

The ball stuck firmly in her palms, and despite the force of the shot knocking her slightly off-balance, she managed to hold on as she tumbled to the turf. This “blinder” effectively removed the Giants’ most lethal power-hitter, who departed for a brisk 8 off 12 balls, just as she was beginning to find her rhythm. For a player like Reddy, who often talks about the work she puts into her T20 variations and fielding drills, this catch was a just reward for her discipline. The wicket sent the RCB dugout into a frenzy and shifted the pressure onto Gujarat’s middle order, underscoring Reddy’s reputation as a big-match player who can create something out of nothing.

Here’s the video:

Also WATCH: WPL 2026: Debutant Shivani Singh pulls off a jaw-dropping one-handed stunner during RCB-W vs GG-W clash

WPL 2026: Gujarat Giants reeling at 63/4 as RCB’s bowling attack dominates the Chase

In a dramatic second-innings pursuit of 183 at the DY Patil Stadium, the Giants have found themselves in deep trouble, collapsing to 63/4 after 9 overs. Chasing a daunting target of 183, the Giants’ innings began with a flurry of boundaries from Beth Mooney, but the momentum was short-lived as RCB struck back with clinical precision. The dismissal of the dangerous Devine early on, courtesy of a sensational return catch by Reddy, sent shockwaves through the GG dugout and set the tone for a disciplined bowling performance.

The powerplay belonged entirely to the RCB bowlers, who successfully dismantled the Giants’ high-profile top order.  Mooney looked to be in a punishing mood, racing to 27 off 14 balls, but her stay was cut short by a masterful piece of captaincy; a desperate LBW review by Smriti Mandhana off Shreyanka Patil’s bowling was upheld by ball-tracking, sending the GG skipper back to the pavilion.

Things went from bad to worse for Gujarat when Ashleigh Gardner was dismissed by Lauren Bell in the seventh over, caught behind after a faint edge while attempting an expansive drive. The collapse was further compounded in the ninth over when Shreyanka struck again, trapping Kanika Ahuja LBW for 16 just as she was beginning to rebuild the innings. With Georgia Wareham and Bharti Fulmali now at the crease, the Giants require a staggering 120 runs from 66 deliveries at an asking rate of over 10 runs per over.

Also READ: “Surprised to see she was retired in the last game”: Harmanpreet Kaur reacts after Harleen Deol’s 64 seals UP Warriorz win over MI in WPL 2026

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.