WPL 2024/25, DC-W vs UPW-W 6th Match Match Report, February 19, 2025

The Delhi Capitals defeated UP Warriorz by seven wickets in the WPL, chasing down 167 runs with notable contributions from Meg Lanning (69) and Annabel Sutherland (41*). UP Warriorz set a competitive total with Kiran Navgire scoring 51, but their middle order faltered. Sutherland’s bowling (2-26) and the spinners’ effectiveness turned the match in Delhi’s favor, as they capitalized on Warriorz’s fielding errors. Lanning and Shafali Verma provided a strong start, while Sutherland sealed the victory with crucial runs in the final overs. This win marked the highest total chased by Capitals in the WPL.

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

The Delhi Capitals’ middle order shone for the first time in this WPL, capitalizing on the explosive start from their formidable opening duo of Shafali Verma and Meg Lanning to hand UP Warriorz their second consecutive defeat. The Capitals’ seven-wicket triumph concluded the Vadodara leg of the tournament, where all six matches were won by the chasing teams, before the tournament shifts to Bengaluru, followed by Lucknow and Mumbai.

However, the Capitals faced challenges. After Lanning’s departure at 69, they required a difficult 48 off 32 balls on a pitch that offered low bounce. The reliable Marizanne Kapp swung the momentum in their favor with consecutive boundaries off Sophie Ecclestone when the required runs stood at 31 off 17 balls, while Annabel Sutherland virtually secured the chase in the final over—where they needed 11—by striking similar shots against Grace Harris. This match also marked the highest total ever chased by the Capitals in WPL history.

Fielding errors by the Warriorz, including three dropped catches and misfields in the final over, proved costly, especially as their own middle order failed to build on the rapid start set by Kiran Navgire’s explosive 51 off 27 balls.

Navgire’s Dominance Against Star Bowlers

Navgire silenced any concerns surrounding Warriorz’s inexperienced top order by boldly challenging the prominent figures in Capitals’ bowling lineup. She started powerfully from the first ball, hitting Kapp for consecutive boundaries with a pull and a lofted shot. In the subsequent over, she replicated this by adjusting her stance against Shikha Pandey’s inswingers with beautiful drives. Her intensity escalated further as she launched Kapp and Jess Jonassen for two sixes and a one-bounce four, racing to 35 off just 13 balls. With a towering six against Pandey in the fifth over, Navgire achieved the fastest team fifty for Warriorz, off 25 balls, then completed her own fifty in just 24 balls, equaling the joint-fastest by a Warriorz player.

Sutherland Keeps Warriorz on Their Toes

Building on her three-wicket performance from the previous week, Sutherland demonstrated her bowling acumen once more by delivering short balls with scrambled seams towards the larger boundary on the leg side. This approach proved effective, as both Vrinda Dinesh and Navgire failed to clear the boundary, resulting in Warriorz sliding from 66 for 0 to 73 for 2.

The Capitals’ spinners rose to the occasion from the opposite end. Jonassen bowled one outside off to have Tahlia McGrath stumped, while Deepti Sharma suffered the same fate, unable to connect against the drifting turn of offspinner Minnu Mani. In the span of just 23 balls, Warriorz lost 4 wickets for only 16 runs, a collapse that ultimately led to their defeat.

Henry Shines on WPL Debut

As Warriorz faced mounting pressure, Harris misplayed an offcutter for just 12 runs, leaving the team reeling at 118 for 5. However, with five overs remaining, debutant Chinelle Henry came to the fore with impressive big hits, while Shweta Sehrawat showcased her hitting abilities as well, scoring 37 off 33. Henry, who had scored 61 in her last match on the same ground for West Indies, propelled Warriorz from 128 to 150 with a remarkable display, smashing Pandey for three sixes and a four in just four balls during a 23-run 17th over. Nevertheless, the Capitals issued a strong response, conceding just 16 runs over the final three overs, as Jonassen cleverly adjusted her pace while Arundhati Reddy and Kapp slowed down the run rate.

Lanning and Shafali’s Boundary Barrage Continues

While it was no surprise that Lanning and Shafali secured their second fifty partnership in three matches, this instance stood out due to Lanning’s enhanced confidence. After two shaky innings, she led her team throughout most of the chase, scoring a solid 69 off 49 balls, while Shafali contributed 26 off 16, which was pivotal in applying pressure on UPW during the powerplay. Shafali struck Kranti Goud for multiple boundaries in the opening over, and Lanning found her momentum, dabbing Sophie Ecclestone for two fours in the second. They aggressively pursued Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Goud in the third and fifth overs, respectively, and with three fours off Henry’s two overs, the Capitals amassed 59 in the powerplay, marking their tenth fifty-plus opening stand in WPL, the most by a wide margin.

Sutherland and Kapp Guide Capitals to Victory After a Brief Lull

Warriorz missed their first opportunity when Henry dropped Shafali on 25 at deep midwicket, only to have the batter dismissed shortly after by hitting directly to Henry for 26. The Capitals then lost Jemimah Rodrigues, contributing to back-to-back wickets in just five balls as she also fell to a catch at short fine leg, marking her third duck in WPL. After a temporary delay caused by the loss of wickets, Lanning’s agile footwork generated three boundaries across two overs, while Sutherland maintained a steady run-rate.

With Ecclestone and Harris bowling two consecutive overs devoid of runs, the required total transitioned from 57 off 42 balls to 47 off 30, along with the crucial wicket of Lanning, granting Warriorz a foothold in the game. Nevertheless, Ecclestone misjudged a simple catch from Sutherland, and Kapp efficiently found the boundaries with power and placement, reestablishing momentum for the Capitals, ultimately benefitting from a drop in the penultimate over.

With 11 runs required off the final six balls, the Warriorz conceded two easily avoidable fours, and McGrath failed to gather a ball at the bowler’s end from mid-on, which could have resulted in a run-out but turned out to be the match-winning run instead.

Vishal Dikshit is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo