In the aftermath of Gujarat Giants’ heartbreaking seven-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals in Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Eliminator at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, on February 3, head coach Michael Klinger faced the media with characteristic candour.
Despite Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 62 off 51 balls anchoring a competitive 168/7, thanks to key partnerships with Georgia Wareham (35 off 25) and Kashvee Gautam (18 off 10), Delhi’s top-order firepower from Lizelle Lee (43 off 24), Shafali Verma (31 off 21), Jemimah Rodrigues (41 off 23), and Laura Wolvaardt (32* off 24) sealed a dominant win with 26 balls to spare. Klinger praised his side’s resilience while pinpointing areas for growth, as Delhi marched to their fourth straight final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Klinger lauded the batting recovery after an early wobble, where Sophie Devine’s dismissal in the second over gave Delhi the edge. Anushka Sharma’s 16 off 13 steadied with Mooney, but it was the anchors who shone. “Yeah, I mean to get 168 from where we were, I think we got over 100 in the last 10 overs, which was a superb effort,” Klinger said. “I thought, you know, Beth and Georgia Wareham batted fantastically well to get us to that point. You know, Kashvee Gautam’s little cameo. So we’re certainly happy with where we were.”
He credited Delhi’s bowlers like Chinelle Henry (3/35) and Nandni Sharma (2/44) for powerplay breakthroughs and middle-over control, amid a tournament-high 25 extras conceded.
Reflecting on the season, Klinger highlighted finishing outright second, a step up from recent finals heartbreaks. Sophie Devine topped wickets with 17 at 16 average (economy 8.28), adding 243 runs at 148.17 strike rate, including two fifties. Georgia Wareham contributed 178 runs at 144.71 strike rate (average 35.60) and 7 wickets, while Anushka Sharma (177 runs, 129.19 SR) and Bharti Fulmali (119 runs, 146.91 SR) showed promise.
Yet fielding lapses and bowling inconsistencies proved costly. “We play pretty close to our best, so we have a chance to beat any team in this competition. And we just weren’t quite there today,” Klinger noted, emphasising learnings for next year.
On Indian talent, Klinger urged breakthroughs. Anushka’s good starts position her for 300-plus runs next season and India caps, while Fulmali must dominate like peers elsewhere. With Yastika Bhatia eyed for a return from injury, he stressed belief. The pitch, he added, played true after early low bounce, but Gujarat’s bowlers, led by Wareham’s 2/28, couldn’t match Delhi’s execution.
Klinger closed on the positives: gritty wins over Delhi Capitals in the league stages and an unyielding spirit, embodied by Anushka’s boundary dive and Wareham’s saves. “I think the two wins against Delhi, where they were really tight, that fighting spirit, we have a big sign that says fight,” he shared. Looking ahead, fast bowlers like Happy Kumari need non-swing plans, and spinners more overs despite all-rounder depth from Gardner, Wareham, and Devine. Two straight qualifications fuel ambitions for WPL glory.
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