History repeated itself in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 final as Mumbai Indians edged out Delhi Capitals by a thrilling 8-run margin, mirroring their triumph over the same opponents in the inaugural WPL 2023 final. The nail-biting victory propelled Mumbai Indians to their second WPL title, while Delhi Capitals were left to rue their third consecutive final heartbreak, agonizingly close yet so far from lifting the trophy.
Batting first, Mumbai struggled early, losing both openers with just 14 runs on the board. However, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur steadied the innings with a crucial partnership that laid the foundation for a competitive total. Sciver-Brunt’s composed 30 off 28 balls and Kaur’s responsible 66 off 44 deliveries ensured MI reached 149, giving their bowlers a strong target to defend.
Delhi Capitals’ chase was always an uphill task, and they never quite got out of first gear. Their top order crumbled, with both openers back in the pavilion for a mere 17 runs, and the wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals. Marizanne Kapp was the lone beacon of hope for Delhi Capitals, scoring a valiant 40 off 26 balls, while Niki Prasad tried to salvage the situation with an unbeaten 25. However, it was a case of too little, too late, as Delhi Capitals fell short, failing to chase down 14 runs in the final over. The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for Delhi Capitals, who will be lamenting their third final loss, unable to cross the final hurdle yet again.
Highlights from the match:
Nat Sciver-Brunt – 30(28) & 3/30(4)
Nat Sciver-Brunt delivered a match-winning all-round performance to secure Mumbai Indians’ second WPL title. With MI struggling at 14/2, she anchored the innings with a crucial 30 off 28 balls, forging an 89-run partnership with Harmanpreet Kaur. Her knock included four boundaries, two of which came in the 9th over, a delicate slice over backward point followed by a classy inside-out loft over cover. She eventually fell in the 15th over, mistiming a sweep to square leg.
With the ball, she was instrumental in Mumbai’s defense, finishing with 3 for 30 in four overs. She rattled Delhi’s chase early by dismissing captain Meg Lanning and then turned the game decisively in the 18th over, removing the dangerous Marizanne Kapp for 40 and trapping Shikha Pandey for a golden duck off consecutive deliveries. Her all-round brilliance under pressure was the defining factor in Mumbai’s victory.
Harmanpreet Kaur – 66(44)
Harmanpreet Kaur played a captain’s knock under pressure, rescuing Mumbai Indians with a brilliant 66 off 44 balls after they were reeling at 14/2. She anchored the innings while maintaining an aggressive approach, smashing nine fours and two sixes. Her momentum-shifting hat-trick of boundaries off Jess Jonassen in the 11th over showcased her class— a fierce cut past cover point, a lofted drive over extra cover, and a perfectly placed shot between cover point and deep cover. She later launched a massive six over deep square leg, further accelerating MI’s innings. Just as she seemed poised for an even bigger finish, she fell in the 18th over, mistiming an inside-out shot to sweeper cover.
Marizanne Kapp – 2/11(4) & 40(26)
Marizanne Kapp was Delhi Capitals’ lone warrior, delivering a stellar all-round performance that nearly kept their hopes alive. With the ball, she was sensational, claiming 2/11 in her four overs and striking early to dismiss both MI openers. She rattled Hayley Matthews with a wobble-seam delivery that nipped back in sharply, before removing Yastika Bhatia with a well-directed short ball.
With the bat, Kapp fought valiantly, scoring a blazing 40 off 26 balls, laced with five fours and two sixes. She stitched a crucial 40-run stand with Niki Prasad and counterattacked with powerful strokes, including a towering six over long-on off Nat Sciver-Brunt. She continued to find boundaries, dispatching Saika Ishaque and Hayley Matthews with exquisite timing. Just as DC’s hopes were reignited, Kapp’s dismissal in the 18th over, caught at long-off trying to accelerate, proved to be the final blow.
Amelia Kerr – 2/25(4)
Amelia Kerr, the Purple Cap winner of WPL 2025, played a pivotal role in Mumbai Indians’ triumph, delivering a crucial spell of 2/25 in her four overs to derail Delhi Capitals’ chase. She struck first in the seventh over, removing Jess Jonassen with a well-disguised googly that gripped and bounced, forcing a miscued shot straight into Yastika Bhatia’s gloves. Kerr then delivered another game-changing moment in the 11th over, dismissing the dangerous Jemimah Rodrigues. Flighting the ball teasingly outside off, she induced a leading edge and reacted swiftly to dive forward and complete a sharp catch herself. Her control and variations stifled DC’s middle order, ensuring that the required run rate kept climbing.
Niki Prasad – 25*(23)
Niki Prasad fought till the very end for Delhi Capitals, finishing unbeaten on 25 off 23 balls in a valiant effort to pull off an improbable chase. She built a crucial 40-run partnership with Marizanne Kapp, keeping DC’s hopes alive with a composed knock under immense pressure. Prasad found the boundary once, striking a crisp four off Shabnim Ismail in the 17th over, and then unleashed a stunning six off Hayley Matthews in the 19th, charging down the track to send the ball soaring over deep mid-wicket. With 14 needed off 6 balls, she remained Delhi’s last beacon of hope, but tight bowling from Nat Sciver-Brunt in the final over meant her efforts went in vain.
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