Grace Harris and Nadine de Klerk: RCB’s big-match influencers ahead of WPL final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Nadine de Klerk (PTI Photo)

Bengaluru: Grace Harris and Nadine de Klerk have been the pulse of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s campaign this season, influencing games with both bat and ball while seamlessly embracing roles tailored to the team’s needs. With the grand finale looming, the all-rounders spoke about backing their natural games, thriving in a clearly defined team environment, and how the Women’s Premier League has become the ideal build-up to the upcoming T20 World Cup.

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De Klerk isn’t just enjoying a good WPL season — she’s defining it. With runs under pressure, control through the middle overs and nerves of steel at the death, the South African has emerged as one of the league’s standout all-rounders. It’s a template that mirrors her success at ICC events: clarity of role, calm amid chaos, and the ability to influence games in every phase. Her red-hot form is more than just a WPL storyline — it serves as an early warning for teams heading into the World Cup. On Tuesday, De Klerk said faith plays a key role in sustaining her never-give-up attitude. “I think a little bit of faith really helps. As a professional, you know things are not always going to go your way. Making peace with the fact that you’re going to fail sometimes is important. You need to learn and move on,” she said. “One small prayer really does miracles. It helps you stay calm. Once you’re calm, you make better decisions and your natural skill set kicks in.” De Klerk is currently second on the bowlers’ list, with 15 wickets from eight matches. Earlier in the World Cup and now in the WPL, the 26-year-old repeatedly came to her team’s rescue — for South Africa as well as RCB. Walking in with the game on the line, however, is something she relishes. “I love the pressure when the game is on the line and I’m trying to win it. It’s just about sticking to your strengths,” added De Klerk, who has enjoyed her partnership with Richa Ghosh in the middle — though the friends will turn rivals on the international stage. Meanwhile, Grace, traditionally not an opener, has adapted seamlessly to the role, providing RCB with strong starts alongside skipper Smriti Mandhana. “I don’t have to bat in a particular spot. I was given a role and told to ‘go for the cheese, not the cat’ — to take the extra risk and not be afraid of getting out,” the Australian said. “Batting alongside Smriti has been fantastic. She’s the opposite of me, but on game day, sometimes opposites work and sometimes they go horrifically wrong. I’m glad to say opposites have worked this time around.” Having been away from the national team for a while, Harris added that the WPL has become a crucial platform — not just for players to understand each other’s strengths, but also for selectors to identify combinations ahead of major tournaments.

Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and keyseries stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.

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