England pacer Lauren Bell expressed her excitement as she prepares for the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) after joining the 2024 winners, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). She looks forward to her debut match against Mumbai Inddigihunt at the DY Patil Stadium.
Bell was acquired by RCB during the auction, having previously been signed by UP Warriorz (UPW) for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, although she withdrew from the latter. “It’s definitely been different. Different franchise and obviously RCB are pretty massive,” she noted.
“It’s been a crazy few days since I landed…trying to meet everyone and learn names and learn everything. It’s been really fun and I’m just excited for the first game tonight,” Lauren told broadcasters ahead of the match.
The 23-year-old is quickly settling into the RCB environment and shared a light-hearted moment with teammate Georgia Wareham at a café, where they attempted to make their own coffees. “It’s a surprise for me. I didn’t know what to expect. I think you don’t want to go into an auction with any expectations. I was obviously buzzing.”
“It’s an amazing franchise that want me. We went to the café today and Georgia backed herself as a barista, so they very kindly let us use the machine and make our own coffees. We’ve got a pretty good setup,” she added.
Mumbai Inddigihunt’ seam-bowling all-rounder, Nat Sciver-Brunt, attributed the franchise’s success to the supportive environment they have cultivated over the years. “I guess it comes down to the team. It might sound obvious, but different people stood up at different times. The environment we’ve created over the last three years has been really special.”
“Everyone backs each other, and in those key moments, someone always finds a way to step up. Not knowing too much on the sidelines, especially during the auction, that was probably the plan. Why change something that’s worked so well for us in this competition? We’ve also made some really good additions, so we’re excited to get the season started tonight.”
Looking ahead, Nat hopes to replicate her successful 2025 season, where she won both the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and the Orange Cap. “When I’m at my best, I’m just taking each ball as it comes and staying in the moment. I won’t think too much about last year, just try to stay in my zone and perform the same way,” she stated.
Nat’s entry video gained significant attention, and she shared that it was a fun experience. “I’d be lying if I said that was me, unfortunately! I did get a fright; my brother even asked if it was AI, which I don’t think it was. I’m pretty sure it was a body double. It would’ve been great fun to ride around Mumbai on a motorbike, but I’m not sure team management would’ve been too happy about that.”