In a high-stakes finale to the league stage of the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL), Delhi Capitals secured their place in the Eliminator with a hard-fought five-wicket victory over UP Warriorz. Played at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, the match was essentially a knockout for both sides, with the Capitals successfully chasing down a modest target of 123. The win didn’t just propel Delhi into the playoffs against the Gujarat Giants; it also officially ended the title defense of the Mumbai Indians, making for a dramatic shift in the tournament’s landscape.
The game started with a bang, or rather a thud for the UP Warriorz, as their skipper Meg Lanning was dismissed for a golden duck on the very first ball of the match by Chinelle Henry. This early blow set a somber tone for the Warriorz’s innings. While Deepti Sharma tried to inject some life into the powerplay with a brisk 24 off 19 balls, the Delhi bowlers—led by a relentless Marizanne Kapp—never let the pressure ease. Kapp was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3 for 30, including the crucial wickets of Deandra Dottin and Deepti, leaving the Warriorz reeling at various stages of their innings.
Despite the middle-order collapse, a few spirited cameos helped UP scrape together a defendable total. Simran Shaikh played a fearless 22 off 14 balls, while Shikha Pandey provided much-needed late-inning fireworks, remaining unbeaten on 23 from just 13 deliveries. These contributions pushed the Warriorz to 122 for 8 in their 20 overs. It wasn’t a massive score, but on a surface that was starting to offer some grip for the spinners, it gave their bowlers something to fight with.
Delhi’s chase began with a mix of caution and aggression. After losing Lizelle Lee early, Laura Wolvaardt took the anchor role, playing a classy knock of 47 from 36 balls, laced with seven boundaries. She paired up with Shafali Verma, who played a more measured 29, and together they put on 73 runs for the second wicket. At 84 for 1, it looked like Delhi would cruise home comfortably, but the Warriorz’s spin duo of Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma had other plans, triggering a sudden collapse.
The tension reached its peak when Delhi slumped from a position of total control to 101 for 5. The ball was turning, the required rate was creeping up, and the UP fielders were throwing themselves at everything. However, captain Jemimah Rodrigues showed nerves of steel. Coming in at a high-pressure moment, she stabilized the ship with an unbeaten 34 off 18 balls. She dismantled the pressure in the 19th over, hitting back-to-back boundaries off Deepti Sharma to effectively end the contest.
Delhi eventually crossed the finish line at 126 for 5 with eight balls to spare. It was a victory defined by composure under fire, ensuring that the Capitals stay alive in their hunt for an elusive maiden title. For the UP Warriorz, it was a season that ended in disappointment at the bottom of the table, but they certainly didn’t go down without a fight, pushing one of the league’s strongest teams to the limit in their final appearance.
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