Delhi Capitals’ remarkable consistency in the Women’s Premier League continued on Tuesday night as they powered their way into a fourth consecutive final with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator at the BCA Stadium.
In a pressure-packed knockout, DC produced one of their most composed performances of the season, chasing down a target of 169 with 26 balls to spare to set up a title clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
For Chinelle Henry, who played a central role in Delhi’s victory with both bat and ball, the win was built not on emotion or urgency, but on clarity and composure.
“Before we went in, we had a small conversation about how we were going to go about it,” Henry said after the match. “In the previous games we played them, we came out on the wrong end in some pretty tight matches. This time it was about having clear heads and staying calm while chasing this total.”
A Perfect Platform
Delhi’s chase was laid on a rock-solid opening stand. Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma, two of the most destructive batters in women’s cricket, wasted no time in asserting dominance. Their 89-run partnership off just 43 balls gave Delhi complete control of the run-chase. Lee struck a fluent 43 from 24 balls, while Shafali’s 31 off 21 provided the early momentum that allowed the middle order to bat with freedom.
Henry highlighted how much belief the team has in its top order.
“It was about having clear plans and backing our strengths because we know how dangerous Shafali and Lizelle are at the top of the order,” she said. “Regardless of the score, it was just about going out there and playing our game.”
Once the platform was built, Delhi’s middle order calmly guided the chase to its inevitable conclusion, ensuring there were no nervous moments in a high-stakes Eliminator.
While the chase drew attention, Delhi’s bowlers had already done much of the damage earlier in the evening. Chinelle Henry led the attack with three crucial wickets, while young pacer Nandini Sharma claimed two more to keep Gujarat in check. Nandini’s performance carried special significance. With those two wickets, she moved to 16 for the season, becoming the highest-wicket-taking Indian bowler in a single WPL campaign and staying firmly in the race for the Purple Cap.
Henry praised the belief and trust within the bowling group.
“As a team, we trust each other and we believe in the ability of the group,” she said. “Whether it was Lizelle, Shafali, Jemimah or Laura with the bat, or the rest of us at the back end with the ball, we knew the job that we had to do.”
Leadership, Conversations and Calm
One of the defining traits of Delhi Capitals’ WPL journey has been their strong internal communication. Henry spoke about how the pace group, in particular, thrives on constant discussion and shared responsibility.
“As a pace unit, a lot of the work is done behind the scenes,” she explained. “We pick each other’s brains and have a lot of conversations, especially about conditions.”
She also pointed to the role of senior players in keeping the group grounded.
“Jemimah is always willing to have those conversations about what is working and what each bowler’s strengths are. And sharing the powerplay with Marizanne Kapp is special. We constantly talk about plans and how we can help the team together.”
This environment of shared responsibility and calm decision-making has allowed Delhi to repeatedly handle high-pressure moments better than most teams in the league.
Henry’s All-Round Impact
Henry’s influence this season has extended far beyond any single match. The West Indian all-rounder has contributed with both bat and ball, often stepping up when the team needed balance.
“I was brought into this team as an all-rounder,” she said. “If one part is not going your way, the other can fall into place. I am just happy to be helping the team in whichever way that I can.”
She also reflected on her evolution as a cricketer over the last few seasons.
“Over the past couple of years, it has been about developing different skills not just bowling with the new ball, but being effective in different phases of the game and also improving my batting by reading situations better.”
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Despite the joy of another final qualification, Henry was quick to underline that the job is far from done.
“It does not matter whether you have a quick turnaround,” she said. “As a unit, we are never switched off. The conversations about how we can get better are always happening.” “Tonight was a win, but the most important game is still to come. We are always looking at how we can make that final step and become WPL champions.”
Delhi Capitals will now face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League 2026 final on Thursday, February 5, as they seek to finally convert their remarkable run of consistency into a long-awaited title.
