DC vs UPW: In a fiercely contested and intense Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 match, Delhi Capitals beat UP Warriorz by 7 wickets, earning their second win in succession in the competition.
Warriorz, however, remained winless for the second time in succession, though with a promising beginning and some aggressive hitting. The game was highlighted by some important fielding blunders, lost opportunities, and misfields by Warriorz which proved to be costly in the end.
DC vs UPW: Delhi Capitals’ Middle Order Glitters After Steady Start
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Delhi Capitals’ run chase was started with a steady foundation laid by their explosive opening duo, Shafali Verma and Meg Lanning, who set up the team for a win. But after Lanning’s spectacular innings of 69 runs, Capitals needed 48 runs from 32 balls, a tall order considering the poor and volatile nature of the pitch.
In a show of nerve, Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp kept their cool and took the team to win. Kapp was the standout player, hitting successive fours from Sophie Ecclestone when the target was 31 from 17 balls. Sutherland, who was on top of her game with both bat and ball, won the match in the last over by hitting Grace Harris for boundaries.
With their combined performance, the Capitals hunted down the target with comfort, setting the record for the highest-ever chase in WPL history.
Warriorz’s Dominant Early Performance Goes Waste Owing to Fielding Weaknesses
The UP Warriorz had a scorching opening to their innings, owing to the great display by Kiran Navgire, who ran through the Delhi bowlers. Her fiery 51 off 27 balls formed a good platform for Warriorz, with important runs coming in from Shweta Sehrawat (37 off 33) and rookie Chinelle Henry (33* off 15 balls).
Navgire’s boundary blows included consecutive fours against Marizanne Kapp and a spell of sixes against Jess Jonassen, in which she hit her fifty within 24 deliveries – the quickest by any Warriorz batter so far in the WPL.
But for a great beginning, Warriorz were unable to make the most of the momentum, as fielding mistakes cost them dearly. They dropped three catches and misfielded on multiple occasions, especially towards the end of the overs. These slips proved to be the turning point, as they enabled Delhi to get close to the target without much opposition, and Warriorz were unable to recover in time to defend their score properly.
Sutherland’s Smart Bowling and Capitals’ Turnaround
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Sutherland’s overall contribution was instrumental in Delhi’s win. Having begun the WPL with a three-wicket return in an earlier game, she justified her presence with the ball once again, varying her pace and length. She intelligently used the wider leg-side boundary and choked Warriorz’s run flow in the middle overs, dismissing both Vrinda Dinesh and Navgire in a matter of two deliveries.
The turning point came when Warriorz went from 66/0 to 73/2, and the spin duo of Jess Jonassen and Minnu Mani tightened their grip further. Jonassen’s clever delivery to have Tahlia McGrath stumped and Mani’s spin leading to Deepti Sharma’s stumping left Warriorz reeling at 118/5.
Henry’s Heroics and Warriorz’s Late Flourish
With Warriorz reeling at 118/5, it was WPL debutant Chinelle Henry who came to the rescue. Her 33* from 15 balls, including three sixes off an over by Shikha Pandey, helped take Warriorz to a competitive total. Even with Henry’s blitz, the Capitals’ bowlers did not ease off in the last overs, and Jonassen, Kapp, and Arundhati Reddy stifled the runs.
Lanning and Shafali’s Strong Start in the Chase
The Delhi Capitals’ chase began with a bang, courtesy of Lanning and Shafali Verma. Shafali’s aggressive 26 off 16 balls in the powerplay, combined with Lanning’s calm and composed 69 off 49 balls, put the Capitals on course for a comfortable victory. The duo peppered the boundaries, taking on the UP Warriorz bowlers, and helped the Capitals reach 59/0 in the powerplay.
While Shafali was bowled on 25 by Henry in the outfield, the initial partnership laid a good platform, taking their second 50-run stand in three matches. Lanning’s strike rotation, as well as her boundary placement, helped the Capitals remain on course even as the needed rate rose marginally.
The Latter Stages and Warriorz’s Lost Chances
In spite of some mid-cup hiccups, such as the downfall of Lanning, Warriorz were unable to capitalize on crucial moments. A sitter sent off Annabel Sutherland by Sophie Ecclestone and a few misfields in the last overs provided the Capitals the impetus they required. With 11 runs needed from the penultimate over, Warriorz let two boundaries be struck, and a run-out opportunity missed from mid-on sealed their fate.
A Game of Missed Opportunities
Delhi Capitals managed to win a nail-biting 7-wicket match in the end, thanks mainly to their middle-order stability and Warriorz’s failure to capitalize on their initial dominance. Although Warriorz began aggressively with their batting, their fielding errors, coupled with the failure to make the most of the final overs, gave the Capitals an easy chase for the target.
For the Capitals, the combination of Lanning and Shafali and the late-game calmness of Kapp and Sutherland guaranteed that they closed out the Vadodara leg of the tournament with a win. When the tournament shifts to Bengaluru, Warriorz will have to strengthen their fielding and finish well to reverse their fortunes.
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