MI vs RCB Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2024 Eliminator match?

Only three days ago, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) faced off in the 2024 Women's Premier League (WPL).

That was a clash without much consequence. The Delhi Capitals (DC) were on course to seal top spot, meaning that MI needed something out of the ordinary to pip them to it, while the UP Warriorz' defeat had virtually secured a third-place finish for RCB.

Now, both MI and RCB find themselves with everything on the line in the Eliminator of the WPL 2024 playoffs. A spot in the summit clash against DC is on the line, with the defending champions trying to make it for the second season running and Bangalore aiming to make the most of their maiden playoff appearance.

Ellyse Perry was the major talking point in the last MI vs RCB clash, and that's putting it lightly. The superstar all-rounder picked up six wickets, the best-ever figures in the WPL, and also chipped in with an unbeaten cameo that fashioned a seven-wicket win for her team.

The result meant that the WPL 2024 head-to-head record between the two sides leveled itself up at 1-1, following MI's convincing win on RCB's home turf earlier in the competition. Not that it matters in a game like this, but the overall numbers are 3-1 in favor of Mumbai.

Can RCB reach their maiden WPL final with a win over a credentialed MI side? Or will we have another Delhi vs Mumbai summit clash on Sunday?

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WPL 2024 Eliminator: DC lie in wait for either MI or RCB

Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Molineux, as an opening partnership, is a disaster waiting to happen. The duo haven't clicked in unison in the two games so far, and things could go terribly wrong against Shabnim Ismail and Hayley Matthews on Friday.

RCB's middle-order batters have been in red-hot form, so that might not be decisive as such. But Bangalore need to be wary of pairing two players who don't give them a match-up advantage, especially when one of them is known to be slow off the blocks in T20s.

Yastika Bhatia's return should make things better for MI, who had to contend with Priyanka Bala's unimpressive wicket-keeping and a new opening partnership in their last meeting against RCB. If the classy southpaw can fire alongside the somewhat unimpressive Hayley Matthews, the platform could be set for the likes of Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur and Amelia Kerr to take over.

There are concerns for MI, though. Perry ran through them with ease in the last game, and certain players like Kerr haven't been in great bowling form. But with the pitches slowing down a touch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the spinners could find increased assistance.

Any knockout game is virtually impossible to call, and RCB have momentum and potentially a mental edge on their side. At the same time, however, MI are arguably a better side on paper, and their bowling might mean that they can skittle any opposition on their day.

Mumbai have been here before and got the job done. So they might be slightly ahead as favorites, even though Bangalore are almost equally likely to come out on top.

Prediction: MI to win the WPL 2024 Eliminator.