Vadodara, Feb 1 (.) Skipper Jemimah Rodrigues held her nerve with a composed unbeaten knock as Delhi Capitals Women clinched a five-wicket win over UP Warriorz Women in the 20th match of the Women’s Premier League 2026 at the BCA Stadium here on Sunday night.
Chasing a modest target of 123, Delhi reached 126 for five in 18.4 overs. Rodrigues anchored the chase with a fluent 34 not out off 18 balls, peppering the boundary five times, while Laura Wolvaardt laid a strong foundation at the top with a well-paced 47 off 36 deliveries after an early setback.
Though Delhi once again made heavier weather of the chase than expected, the calming presence of their captain ensured there were no late stumbles. The victory confirmed Delhi’s meeting with Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator, while the result also meant elimination for Mumbai and UP from the tournament.
Earlier, opting to bowl after winning the toss, Delhi produced a disciplined bowling effort to restrict UP Warriorz Women to 122 for eight in their allotted 20 overs.
Marizanne Kapp led the attack with impressive figures of three for 30, well supported by Chinelle Henry and Shree Charani, who picked up two wickets each. UP were rocked early by the loss of captain Meg Lanning for a first-ball duck and struggled to build momentum thereafter.
Deepti Sharma offered brief resistance with a 24 off 19 balls, while Simran Shaikh chipped in with a brisk 22 off 14 deliveries. However, the lack of sustained partnerships hurt UP Warriorz, with Shikha Pandey’s unbeaten 23 off 13 balls at the death merely pushing the total past the 120-run mark.
In the chase, Delhi lost Lizelle Lee early, but Wolvaardt and Shafali Verma steadied the innings with a crucial 73-run partnership for the second wicket. After Wolvaardt’s dismissal, Jemimah took charge to see the side home with eight balls to spare.
For UP Warriorz, Deepti Sharma was the pick of the bowlers with two for 27, while Sophie Ecclestone claimed one wicket. . . .