Delhi Capitals defeated UP Warriorz by seven wickets in the WPL, achieving a chase of 167 runs. Meg Lanning led the Capitals with 69 runs, supported by Annabel Sutherland’s unbeaten 41. Despite UP’s Kiran Navgire scoring a dynamic 51, their middle order faltered, and fielding errors cost them dearly. Sutherland’s bowling was instrumental, claiming two key wickets. The Capitals faced a challenging 48 runs off 32 balls after Lanning’s dismissal but managed to recover thanks to Marizanne Kapp’s contributions. This victory marked the highest total chased by the Capitals in WPL, showcasing their resilience and strategic play.
Delhi Capitals 167 for 3 (Lanning 69, Sutherland 41*) defeated UP Warriorz 166 for 7 (Navgire 51, Sehrawat 37, Henry 33*, Sutherland 2-26) by seven wickets
Navgire’s heavy hitting against top players
Navgire silenced any doubts regarding Warriorz’s inexperienced top order by aggressively tackling the prominent players in the Capitals’ bowling lineup. She energized the innings right from the first ball, striking Kapp for back-to-back boundaries with a pull and an effortless loft. The following over, she duplicated her performance against Shikha Pandey’s inswingers with stunning drives. Navgire raised the bar further by launching Kapp and Jess Jonassen for two sixes and a one-bounce four in quick succession, racing to 35 off 13 balls. With a straight six off Pandey at the start of the fifth over, she secured Warriorz’s fastest team fifty in just 25 balls and reached her own half-century off 24 balls, matching the record for the fastest fifty by a Warriorz player.
Sutherland causes panic for Warriorz
The spinners for the Capitals intensified their efforts from the opposite end. Jonassen sent one wide of off-stump to have Tahlia McGrath stumped, while Deepti Sharma fell victim to the turn and drift from off-spinner Minnu Mani. In just 23 balls, the Warriorz crumbled, losing 4 wickets for 16 runs, which ultimately cost them the match.
Henry shines in WPL debut
The Warriorz appeared to be heading for further trouble when Harris misplayed an offcutter, contributing just 12 runs, leaving them at 118 for 5. However, with five overs remaining, WPL debutant Chinelle Henry stepped up with significant contributions while Shweta Sehrawat also showcased her hitting prowess with 37 off 33 balls. Henry, who had notched 61 in her previous match at the same venue for the West Indies, propelled the Warriorz from 128 to 150 single-handedly, smashing Pandey for three sixes and a four in four deliveries, amassing 23 runs in the 17th over. Nonetheless, the Capitals recovered, allowing just 16 runs in the final three overs, as Jonassen varied her pace while Arundhati Reddy and Kapp reduced the speed of the ball.
Lanning and Shafali blaze the boundaries once more
It was no surprise that Lanning and Shafali achieved their second fifty partnership in three games within the WPL, but this time Lanning displayed more confidence. After two rather unconvincing innings, she led her team for nearly three-fourths of the chase with a solid 69 off 49 balls, following Shafali’s explosive 26 off just 16 to deflate UP Warriorz during the powerplay. Shafali targeted Kranti Goud in the very first over, while Lanning struck Sophie Ecclestone for two fours in the second over. Together, they took on Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Goud in the third and fifth overs, and with three fours across Henry’s two overs, the Capitals scored 59 runs in the powerplay, resulting in the batting duo recording their tenth 50-plus opening partnership in WPL—the most by a significant margin.
Sutherland and Kapp guide Capitals home after a hiccup
The Warriorz squandered their first opportunity when Henry dropped Shafali at deep midwicket with the batter on 25, but it didn’t cost them heavily as she was caught again by Henry just four balls later on 26. This became a second wicket in five balls when Jemimah Rodrigues was caught at short fine leg, marking her third duck in the WPL. The innings slowed briefly as Lanning’s agile footwork earned her three fours in two overs to regain momentum, while a steady Sutherland maintained a run-a-ball rate.
When Ecclestone and Harris bowled two overs without boundaries, the equation shifted from 57 needed off 42 to 47 off 30, coinciding with the wicket of Lanning, allowing the Warriorz to claw back into the match. However, Ecclestone fumbled a straightforward catch from Sutherland, and Kapp capitalized by scoring boundaries with both placement and power, bringing the Capitals back into contention while she also benefitted from a reprieve in the penultimate over.
With 11 runs required off the last six balls, the Warriorz conceded two boundaries that could have been prevented, and McGrath failed to collect the ball at the bowler’s end from mid-on when a potential run-out opportunity arose, but this misfield ultimately turned out to be the winning run.
Vishal Dikshit is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo