In the Eliminator match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, Delhi Capitals (DC) defeated Gujarat Giants (GG) by seven wickets at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara.
Bowling first, Delhi’s bowlers put pressure on by consistently taking wickets, preventing Gujarat from completely capitalising on their platform. Chinelle Henry led the attack with three wickets, hitting at crucial periods, while Nandani Sharma took two despite a costly session. Minnu Mani’s economical 1/23 in the middle overs helped reduce the run rate, keeping Gujarat under 170 runs despite giving 19 wides.
In response, Delhi Capitals staged a dominant chase, scoring 169/3 in only 15.4 overs at a rate of 10.79 runs per over. Lizelle Lee (43) and Shafali Verma (31) set the tone with a quick 89-run partnership within seven overs, practically settling the game early. Jemimah Rodrigues’ (41) fluent knock ensured that the intensity remained high, while Laura Wolvaardt’s (32*) unbeaten outing offered steadiness as Delhi glided home with more than four overs remaining.
Batting first, GG scored 168/7, thanks primarily to Beth Mooney’s (62*) unbeaten knock. After losing Sophie Devine early on and being hit twice in the sixth over by Anushka Sharma and Ashleigh Gardner, the Giants failed to maintain tempo through the middle overs. Georgia Wareham (35) and Kashvee Gautam’s (18) late cameo offered some momentum, but the innings lacked solid partnerships, leaving Mooney to bear the scoring load.
Gujarat’s bowlers struggled to stop Delhi’s aggressive top order. While Georgia Wareham took two wickets for 28, the attack frequently leaked runs, with three bowlers allowing more than 11 runs per over. A dearth of early breakthroughs and costly powerplay overs allowed Delhi to dominate the chase from the start, leaving Gujarat with too much to defend in the eliminator.
With this win, DC have qualified for the WPL finals for the fourth consecutive season and will take on RCB on February 5.
Scorecard:
Gujarat Giants: 168/8, Overs 20, Beth Mooney 62, Chinelle Henry 3/35
Delhi Capitals: 169/3, Overs 15.4, Lizelle Lee 43, Georgia Wareham 2/28
