The DY Patil Stadium was alive with excitement during one of the most thrilling matches of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season. Delhi Capitals Women held their composure to secure a convincing seven-wicket victory over UP Warriorz Women, successfully chasing down a challenging target off the final ball. The match had it all: intense batting, spirited bowling, momentum shifts, and standout performances from both teams.
UP Warriorz faced a tough start, losing Kiran Navgire for a duck in the first over, caught by Shafali Verma off Marizanne Kapp, leaving them at a shaky 1/0. However, Meg Lanning quickly settled the nerves, partnering with Phoebe Litchfield to stabilise the innings. They played smartly, rotating the strike and punishing any loose deliveries until Litchfield was stumped for 27 off 20, and the score was a moderate 47/2 in 6.1 overs.
With Lanning’s steadying influence, UP Warriorz began to build momentum, especially with her crucial partnership with Harleen Deol. Lanning struck nine boundaries as she scored a vital 54 off 38 balls, while Deol contributed 47 off 36, keeping the scoreboard ticking with seven fours. When Lanning was eventually dismissed at 132/3 in the 15th over, it seemed the Warriorz were on track for a competitive total.
However, Delhi Capitals responded with some disciplined bowling. Minnu Mani and Chinelle Henry put pressure on the Warriorz batting line-up in the middle overs, and Shafali Verma had a significant impact, claiming two wickets. She dismissed Deepti Sharma for 2 off 2 and trapped Shweta Sehrawat for 11 off 12. With wickets falling at regular intervals, at 6/148, 7/150, and 8/152, UP Warriorz could only manage 154/8 in their 20 overs. Kapp (2/24), Shafali (2/16), and Sneh Rana (1/20) shone with the ball for Delhi.
Chasing 155, Delhi Capitals made it look effortless right from the start, led by an explosive opening partnership. Shafali Verma was in fine form, hitting boundaries and racing to 36 off 32, including six fours, before her wicket fell at 94/1 in the 11th over.
UP Warriorz hoped to stem the tide, but Lizelle Lee took over, showing power and poise as she scored 67 off 44 balls, with eight fours and three sixes. Laura Wolvaardt provided steady support with a calm 25* off 24 balls. Captain Jemimah Rodrigues added a brisk 21 off 14, bringing Delhi close to victory at 148/3 in 18.5 overs before she was dismissed.
With only a handful of runs left, Kapp finished the chase unbeaten on 5 off 6, guiding Delhi to 158/3 and sealing the win without any deliveries remaining.
Despite the defeat, there were bright spots for UP Warriorz, particularly Deepti Sharma’s performance, who was the standout bowler with 2/26, while Asha Sobhana had a disciplined spell, taking 1/20. However, on this night, the depth of Delhi’s batting proved too strong.
With this thrilling victory, Delhi Capitals Women bagged two important points in the WPL 2026, largely thanks to Lizelle Lee’s dominant innings and an impressive all-round performance from Player of the Match, Shafali Verma, who contributed 36 runs and took 2 wickets for 16 runs.
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