Delhi Capitals won the toss and put Gujarat Giants to bat first. This marked the 26th consecutive instance in the Women’s Premier League wherein the side winning the toss decided to field first.
Devine’s blitz start sets up the game
Akin to their first match, Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine yet again ensured that the Giants score at a rate of 10 per over after four overs. But the last over of the powerplay massively shifted the gravity of the match as Devine struck 32 runs against Sneh Rana; the most runs hit it an over in the history of the WPL.
As a result, the Giants managed their highest-ever total in the powerplay at the WPL, and Devine recorded the highest individual score by a player in the powerplay in WPL as she raced to 68 off 30 balls.
The partnership was broken by Shree Charani who caught Mooney off her own bowling. In a 94-run stand, Mooney contributed 19. Devine’s onslaught continued as she later struck Charani for three sixes. In what could have been a thoroughly deserving century through a record-breaking ninth six of her innings, Devine miscued a ball, leading to Charani catching a moonball at fine leg off Nandani Sharma’s bowling.
In quick successon, Georgia Wareham departed after the Capitals’ skipper took a stunner at short extra cover.
Jemimah Rodrigues’ gamble to continue with Shafali Verma by giving her a second over eventually paid off, as Anushka, aiming for a third consecutive boundary, mistimed it to Nandani at square leg.
Following this, wickets consistently tumbled at the other end, as Ash Gardner played a captain’s knock from the other end. Shortly after she ensured her team crossed the 200-mark, Gardner departed for 49(26) as she was caught off Laura Wolvaardt at long on, off Chinelle Henry.
Though Marizanne Kapp’s economy of 6.25 was mighty impressive given the way the Giants batted, it was Nandini Sharma who stole the spotlight in the final over. Sharma picked up four wickets in the final over, in which she became only the fourth bowler to claim a hattrick at the WPL. A five-for in only her second WPL game ensured that the Giants were all out for 209 at the end of their innings.
Lee & Wolvaardt – So near, yet so far
The chase began with all eyes set on Lizelle Lee to deliver per her repute. The veteran African did not fail, as she reached her half century in 33 balls, after smashing three consecutive boundaries against Wareham who was the player of the match in the Giants’ previous fixture.
In the first 10 overs, Rajeshwari Gayakwad was the star bowler for the Giants, picking up the crucial wicket of Shafali Verma and giving away only 10 runs in her first two overs. Yet, the Delhi Capitals were at a very promising 90/1 at the half-way stage, with Lee scoring 63 of those.
Delhi reached the 100 mark in 12 overs, with Lee now supported by Wolvaardt at the other end. With 83 needed off the final six overs, Kashvee Gautam deismissed Lee. Wolvaardt led the chase from here, and Jemimah Rodrigues took guard right after the final strategic tiemout.
In the 18th over, the Giants’ skipper was smashed for 19 runs, putting Capitals 29 runs away from a famous win. The penultimate over saw Wolvaardt and Rodrigues strike 22 runs off Gautam. Interestingly, with only seven needed off the last over, it was Devine, and not Renuka Thakur, to defend it for Gujarat.
The veteran Kiwi, who holds the orange cap for now, got Rodrigues in the second ball of the over. With only a hit away, in a veteran-to-veteran contest, Kapp took the much needed single to give the strike back to her in-form compatriot.
A twist beckoned, and Wolvaardt’s swing of the bat could only find Wareham at deep mid-wicket. A swing-and-a-miss from Sneh Rana on the final ball meant that Gujarat had successfully defended seven runs off the final over. Devine not only impressed with the bat, but also gave away only 2 runs in the climactic over.
For the first time in their WPL history, the Delhi Capitals have opened the season by losing both their opening games. For the Gujarat Giants, with consecutive scores of over 200 in both their games, they are carving themselves as the team to beat in this edition. Gujarat have now narrowed their head-to-head record against Delhi, 3-4.
Credit WPL
“The belief this team showed in this chase — because at one moment we needed 15 RPO, and from there, to get it down to 7 runs required off the last over is just incredible. Yes, it’s a tough pill to swallow but we will take that.” – Jemimah Rodrigues, Delhi Capitals Captain
