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- DC vs GG, WPL Eliminator Highlights: Delhi Capitals beat Gujarat Giants by 7 wickets
DC vs GG, WPL Eliminator Highlights: Delhi Capitals beat Gujarat Giants by 7 wickets
While Delhi Capitals have been here before, falling short in three previous finals, they surprisingly enter this knockout as underdogs against a confident Gujarat side that has had their number all season.
The Giants have beaten the Capitals twice already, both times defending totals with composure as Delhi faltered in tense run chases against Sophie Devine’s leadership and experience. Those results played a major role in Gujarat finishing second in the league standings, while Delhi had to wait until the final day to confirm qualification.
Conditions at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara further favour the home team. The surface has been slow, offering help to spinners, and middling totals have generally proved competitive.
Gujarat seem more attuned to these conditions, with a clear game plan, bowlers targeting wicket-to-wicket lines and batters avoiding risky cross-bat shots.
All three of their wins here this season have come batting first, though they have never successfully chased at the venue.
That statistic may tempt Delhi into an unusual tactical gamble. Despite never batting first this season, a proactive approach, setting a total 10–15 runs above par, could test Gujarat’s comfort zone and expose their reliance on a few key performers.
Both teams arrive in good recent form, winning three of their last four matches at the venue. Delhi have shown resilience with contributions spread across the lineup, while Gujarat’s late-season surge has been powered by a core group in top form.
Whether depth or momentum prevails will decide who advances to the final on Tuesday night.
Georgia Wareham to Laura Wolvaardt, Flighted, full and around off, Laura Wolvaardt drills it to sweeper cover for a run.
Georgia Wareham to Laura Wolvaardt, Floated, full and on middle and off, Laura Wolvaardt uses her feet and knocks it back to the bowler.
Georgia Wareham to Jemimah Rodrigues, Tossed up, full and on off, Jemimah Rodrigues pushes it through covers for a single.
- Laura Wolvaardt 7 (6)
- Jemimah Rodrigues 5 (4)
Kashvee Gautam to Laura Wolvaardt, A slower one, full and on off, Laura Wolvaardt knocks it back to the bowler.
Kashvee Gautam to Laura Wolvaardt, FOUR! Excellent shot! Pulls her length back a bit, outside off. Laura Wolvaardt uses her quick hands to flay it away through backward point for a blazing boundary. 100 UP FOR DC!
Kashvee Gautam to Jemimah Rodrigues, Pitched up and on off, Jemimah Rodrigues drives it towards short cover, where the fielder dives to her left and makes a half-stop. They cross.
Kashvee Gautam to Jemimah Rodrigues, Back of a length and around off, Jemimah Rodrigues stabs it out to backward point.
Kashvee Gautam to Jemimah Rodrigues, Short of a length and on off, Jemimah Rodrigues tries to pull it away but gets a top edge over the backward point fielder. She calls for two again and makes it while running to the danger end.
Kashvee Gautam to Jemimah Rodrigues, Good length and around off, Jemimah Rodrigues opens the face of her bat and guides it towards deep point. She takes on the arm of Bharti Fulmali and makes her ground. Good running. Oh..to make matters worse for GG, Kashvee has overstepped here. No Ball called and a Free Hit to follow.
Kashvee Gautam to Laura Wolvaardt, Hard length and on middle, Laura Wolvaardt heaves it off the inner half of the bat to deep square leg for a single.
Well, well! Two wickets in the over for the Gujarat Giants. Rebuild time for the Delhi Capitals. In walks the skipper, Jemimah Rodrigues. Kashvee Gautam (1-0-6-0) returns.
- Shafali Verma 31 (21)
- Laura Wolvaardt 2 (3)
Georgia Wareham to Shafali Verma, OUT! DRAGGED ON! Georgia Wareham has got Gujarat Giants back in the game, getting rid of both openers in this over. She pushes this through quicker, shortish and around off. Shafali Verma backs away for the cut, but this is not that short. She ends up getting an inside edge, and the ball crashes onto the stumps. Verma walks back for 31 off 21, and DC now have two new batters in the crease.
Georgia Wareham to Laura Wolvaardt, Slows it up, full and on off, Laura Wolvaardt pushes it through covers for one more.
Georgia Wareham to Shafali Verma, Goes short and on middle, Shafali Verma pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one.
Georgia Wareham to Laura Wolvaardt, Flighted, full and on off, Laura Wolvaardt uses her feet and drives it to long off for a single.
Georgia Wareham to Laura Wolvaardt, Short and on leg, Laura Wolvaardt pats it towards square leg.
Can the Gujarat Giants build on this breakthrough? Laura Wolvaardt joins Shafali Verma out in the middle.
Georgia Wareham to Lizelle Lee, OUT! LBW! Georgia Wareham comes into the attack and gets the big breakthrough for her team that they desperately needed. This is floated, full and on middle and leg, does not spin much but enough to beat the outside edge. Lizelle Lee gets stuck in her crease and looks to work it across the line but misses and gets hit on the pads. There is a big shout for LBW, and up goes the finger. However, Lee takes the review after having a chat with her partner. UltrEdge confirms no bat involved and Ball Tracking shows three reds, with the ball hitting the middle stump. Lee was already on her way before it flashed Out on the big screen. Lee departs for a quick 43 off 24.
- Shafali Verma 30 (19)
- Lizelle Lee 43 (23)
Sophie Devine to Shafali Verma, FOUR! It does not matter whether field restrictions are lifted or not, the boundaries keep flowing for DC. Sophie Devine pitches it up, on middle, angling in. Shafali Verma steps across and uses her wrists to whip it wide of long on for a boundary.
Sophie Devine to Lizelle Lee, Fuller and on off, Lizelle Lee drills it towards long off for one.
Sophie Devine to Lizelle Lee, FOUR MORE! To the other side now! Banged into the pitch and on off. Lizelle Lee picks up the length early, gets on top and pulls it away to the deep square leg fence for a boundary.
Sophie Devine to Lizelle Lee, FOUR! Nicely done! Short of a length and outside off, Lizelle Lee accepts the width on offer but does not try to hit hard. She just steers it between point and cover for a boundary
Sophie Devine to Lizelle Lee, WIDE! Errs in line and serves this full and down the leg side, Lizelle Lee misses her flick. Wided.
Sophie Devine to Lizelle Lee, Almost dragged on! Back of a length and on off, Lizelle Lee stays back and tries to punch it away but gets an inside edge just past the stumps.
Sophie Devine to Lizelle Lee, Good length, on middle and off, Lizelle Lee has no room to work with and pats it to the left of the bowler.
STRATEGIC BREAK! The Gujarat Giants need a breather, and Ashleigh Gardner has called for the timeout at the first opportunity available. Just 12 runs in the first two overs, but the next four have gone for 63. With the field restrictions now lifted, the Giants will be hoping to regain some control. The Delhi Capitals could not have asked for a better start, and it is a matter of now letting this position of strength slip. Sophie Devine (1-0-13-0) to bowl after the break.
- Shafali Verma 26 (18)
- Lizelle Lee 34 (18)
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Shafali Verma, Drops it short again, on middle, Shafali Verma backs away and punches it to extra cover. Delhi Capitals are 75 for no loss at the end of 6 overs. This is their best Powerplay score this season.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Lizelle Lee, A bit short and on middle, Lizelle Lee nudges it to mid-wicket for one.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Lizelle Lee, Flatter, full and on middle, Lizelle Lee tucks it to short mid-wicket.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Lizelle Lee, SIX! SMOKED! Flighted, full and on middle, Lizelle Lee goes down on one knee and powerfully slog sweeps it way over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Lizelle Lee, Tossed up, full and on off, Lizelle Lee knocks it towards mid off. A rare dot ball!
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Lizelle Lee, FOUR! Nothing is working for GG here! Floated, just a fraction short and wide outside off. Lizelle Lee rocks back and places the cut beautifully between point and cover-point for a boundary.
- Shafali Verma 26 (17)
- Lizelle Lee 23 (13)
Renuka Singh Thakur to Shafali Verma, FOUR! And again! 21 runs off the over, and the Giants are left scratching their heads. Renuka lands it on a length, on off and middle. Shafali makes room and thumps it over wide mid off for the fourth boundary of the over.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Shafali Verma, FOUR! The two DC openers keep peppering the off side boundaries. On a length, moving back in the air, on middle. Shafali backs away, exposing all three stumps and plays the lofted drive over cover for a four.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Lizelle Lee, Keeps it full, outside off. An ungainly swipe across the line by Lee. It goes off an inside edge down to deep fine leg for a single.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Lizelle Lee, FOUR! The boundaries keep flowing. Thakur pitches it up, outside off, Lee is allowed to free her arms again and she goes inside out over extra cover for another boundary.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Lizelle Lee, FOUR! Width offered and Lee cashes in! Thakur pulls the length back but errs in line. Lizelle frees her arms and cuts it through point for four more. The 50 is up for DC.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Lizelle Lee, FOUR! Not a clean connection but it does the job! A bit of inward shape, on a good length, on off. Lee gets her hands through and lofts it over mid off. Bharti Fulmali turns around and gives chase but in vain.
Will Ashleigh Gardner bring Renuka Singh Thakur back in the attack? Yes, she will. Renuka gave away just 6 runs in her first over.
- Shafali Verma 18 (15)
- Lizelle Lee 10 (9)
Sophie Devine to Shafali Verma, This is on a back of a length, on middle. Shafali backs away and cuts it late but picks out Tanuja Kanwer at backward point. 17 runs off Devine's first over. The last 2 overs have gone for 31 runs.
Sophie Devine to Shafali Verma, Angled in at the pads, on a length. Shafali clips it to mid-wicket.
Sophie Devine to Shafali Verma, FOUR! Verma takes the aerial route! Sophie pitches it up, on off, Shafali siwngs through the line and gets under the ball before pumping it over mid off for another boundary.
Sophie Devine to Shafali Verma, Drags the length back, on off, Verma taps it to cover.
Sophie Devine to Shafali Verma, FOUR! Gets it through! Full and on off and middle. Shafali opens up the off side and crunches the drive past the diving extra cover fielder for a boundary.
Sophie Devine to Shafali Verma, FIVE WIDES! Beth Mooney gets nutmegged again. Sprayed down leg, on a back of a length. Verma swings at it but does not connect. Mooney fails to get her gloves low enough to gather it. It cllips her fingertips and goes through her legs for another four.
Sophie Devine to Shafali Verma, FOUR BYES! Rinse and repeat the first ball of the previous over. Full and outside off, Shafali gives herself room and swings hard to go through the off side. The ball skids through and stays low as well to go through the legs of Beth Mooney for four byes.
- Shafali Verma 10 (9)
- Lizelle Lee 10 (9)
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Shafali Verma, Speared in at the sticks, this is eased to long on for a single. 14 runs off the over. Halfway through the Powerplay, DC are 26/0, needing 143 runs in 102 balls.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Shafali Verma, FOUR! Up and over! Tossed up, on middle. Shafali is aware that mid off is inside the circle. She backs away and lofts it over Bharti Fulmali there for a four.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Shafali Verma, Floated up, fuller and on off, Shafali pushes it to mid off.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad to Shafali Verma, Wide! Another arm ball but this is full and slants down leg. Shafali lets it be.
Despite Delhi’s greater playoff experience, Gujarat enter the contest as favourites after beating the Capitals twice in the league phase and finishing second on the points table.
Familiar conditions, stronger player match-ups and better recent form all tilt the balance towards the home side.
The Giants have thrived at the Vadodara venue this season, winning all three of their matches batting first, though they are yet to successfully chase here. That opens a possible tactical window for the Capitals, who have oddly never batted first this season.
A bold decision to bat, post a slightly above-par total and apply pressure could be Delhi’s best chance to turn the tables.
Delhi come into the Eliminator after a nervy qualification, needing a win on the final league day to progress. Gujarat, meanwhile, surged late in the season, winning three straight games — including a statement victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians.
With Sophie Devine’s calm under pressure and Gujarat’s clarity of roles, the Giants look well placed, but Delhi’s depth and big-match hunger ensure a tight contest.
Match Statistics
Venue
BCA Stadium, Vadodara
