February 1, 2026, Vadodara : Delhi Capitals secured their place in the Women’s Premier League playoffs with a hard fought five wicket victory against UP Warriorz in Vadodara. The win not only booked their ticket to the Eliminator but also brought an end to Mumbai Indians’ title defense. Chasing a modest target of 123, Delhi reached 126 for five in 18.4 overs, though they had to navigate a significant mid innings scare to cross the finish line.
The match began perfectly for the Capitals after they opted to bowl. Chinelle Henry struck with the very first delivery of the game, trapping UP Warriorz captain Meg Lanning for a golden duck. Marizanne Kapp then took charge of the powerplay, dismantling the top order by dismissing Deepti Sharma, Charli Knott, and Deandra Dottin. Despite Deepti’s brief resistance and a late unbeaten cameo from Shikha Pandey, the Warriorz struggled to find momentum and were restricted to 122 for eight.
Delhi’s chase started with a steady 73 run partnership between Laura Wolvaardt and Shafali Verma. Wolvaardt looked in sublime touch, finding the boundary seven times during her anchor innings, while Shafali played with uncharacteristic caution to ensure the foundation remained solid. However, the departure of Wolvaardt triggered a sudden collapse as Delhi slipped from 84 for one to 101 for five within a few overs.
With the pressure mounting, captain Jemimah Rodrigues displayed great composure to steer the chase. She found the gaps with precision, hitting five boundaries in a quick fire unbeaten knock. Alongside Niki Prasad, Jemimah ensured there were no further stumbles, eventually finishing the match with a boundary in the penultimate over to seal the result and keep Delhi’s hopes of a maiden title alive.
Brief Scores:
UP Warriorz 122/8 (Deepti Sharma 24, Shikha Pandey 23*; Marizanne Kapp 3/30, Chinelle Henry 2/25)
Delhi Capitals 126/5 in 18.4 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 47, Jemimah Rodrigues 34*, Shafali Verma 29; Deepti Sharma 2/27)
