Delhi Capitals beat UP Warriorz to reach WPL 2026 playoffs
Delhi Capitals secured a playoffs berth in WPL 2026 with a five-wicket win over UP Warriorz. Laura Wolvaardt scored 47, Jemimah Rodrigues hit 34 not out, and Marizanne Kapp took three wickets as DC chased 123 in Kotambi
Vadodara: Laura Wolvaardt top-scored with 47 while Jemimah Rodrigues hit an unbeaten 34 as Delhi Capitals beat UP Warriorz by five wickets to secure a playoffs berth in the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi on Sunday.
Veteran pace bowling all-rounder Marizanne Kapp claimed three wickets as DC produced a disciplined bowling display to restrict UPW to 122/8. UPW’s innings never found momentum, with Shikha Pandey’s late cameo of 23 off 13 balls the only spark in an otherwise lacklustre effort.
Simran Shaikh threatened with a brisk 22 before being dismissed, as DC picked wickets at regular intervals. Kapp, Chinelle Henry and Sree Charani shared seven wickets to choke the scoring rate and deny UPW any breathing space. Their stop-start batting exposed them again in the competition.
DC’s chase of 123 was far from straightforward, wobbling late when they needed 22 runs off as many balls with wickets tumbling. But Jemimah held her nerve to guide her side home with an unbeaten 34 off 18 deliveries. Laura steadied DC’s innings initially with seven boundaries.
UPW, undone by lack of runs and sloppy catching, never had enough on the board to challenge DC. DC will now face Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator, while UP Warriorz and defending champions Mumbai Indians bow out of the competition.
Chinelle Henry struck with the very first ball of the innings by trapping UPW skipper Meg Lanning lbw for a duck. Deepti Sharma and Charli Knott hit six boundaries between themselves before Marizanne removed Knott with a short ball. Deepti too fell to Kapp’s slower delivery, while Harleen Deol and Deandra Dottin were dismissed lbw.
Simran Shaikh tried to counterattack with boundaries but was caught at mid-off. Asha Sobhana hit a six before falling to Charani. Shikha Pandey provided late fireworks with 23 not out, but UPW finished at 122/8.
DC’s chase began shakily as Lizelle Lee fell early. Laura Wolvaardt found rhythm quickly, striking seven boundaries. Shafali Verma added 29 before falling, while Kapp and Henry departed cheaply. At 100/5, the chase looked tense, but Jemimah Rodrigues held firm, striking consecutive boundaries in the 19th over before sealing victory with a cover drive.
Brief Scores: UP Warriorz 122/8 in 20 overs (Deepti Sharma 24, Simran Shaikh 22; Marizanne Kapp 3-30, Sree Charani 2-22) lost to Delhi Capitals 126/5 in 18.4 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 47, Jemimah Rodrigues 34 n.o.; Deepti Sharma 2-27, Shikha Pandey 1-17) by five wickets.
