Sophie Devine powers Gujarat Giants to thrilling WPL win over Delhi Capitals
Sophie Devine’s blazing 95 and two wickets in the final over powered Gujarat Giants to a four-run win over Delhi Capitals in WPL 2026. Nandini Sharma’s maiden hat-trick stood out, but Delhi fell short chasing 209 in Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai: Sophie Devine struck a majestic 42-ball 95 and then claimed two wickets in a sensational last over to help Gujarat Giants to a narrow four-run victory over three-time finalists Delhi Capitals in Match 4 of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
Devine produced a devastating knock, hammering 32 runs in one eventful over as Gujarat Giants posted 209 in 20 overs after they were asked to bat first. Many thought they fell short by at least 20-30 runs as Delhi Capitals’ young medium pacer Nandani Sharma claimed her maiden five-wicket haul, including a hat-trick in the final three balls of the innings.
But Devine produced the final twist when she prevented Delhi Capitals from scoring seven runs for victory in the last over, as Jemimah Rodrigues’ side was restricted to 205 for five in 20 overs.
Blazing half-centuries by Lizelle Lee (85 off 54) and Laura Wolvaardt (77 off 38) went in vain as Delhi Capitals slumped to their second defeat in as many matches.
After Lee had laid the foundation, Wolvaardt raised 59 runs for the fourth wicket with skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (15) to drag Delhi Capitals close to victory, needing just seven off the last six balls.
But Devine kept her nerve and claimed the crucial wickets of Rodrigues and Wolvaardt, conceding only two runs in the final over to secure a memorable win at the DY Patil Stadium.
Delhi Capitals, who opted to bowl first, mounted the biggest chase in WPL history with confidence, with Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee adding 41 runs for the opening wicket.
Shafali was the first to fall, bowled by Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Lee kept Delhi in the hunt with a blazing 86 off 54 balls, studded with 12 fours and three sixes.
Lee and Wolvaardt added 90 runs for the second wicket in quick time, initially rotating strike before unleashing big shots. Lee reached her fifty off 33 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes.
Just when it looked like Lee would race to her century, Kashvee Gautam dismissed her, caught by Devine at long-on.
Wolvaardt kept Delhi in the chase despite losing Chinelle Henry (7). She added 59 runs for the fourth wicket with Rodrigues, reaching her fifty off 29 balls. She blasted Ashleigh Gardner for three fours and a six in the 18th over to bring the equation down to seven needed from the last over. But Devine had the final say.
Earlier, Devine, the New Zealand all-rounder, set the tone with a majestic knock which put Gujarat Giants on course for their highest total in WPL.
She was in devastating form, striking fours off Chinelle Henry and Nandini Sharma before hammering Sneh Rana for two fours and four sixes in an over that yielded 32 runs. She raced to fifty off 25 balls and later blasted three sixes off N Shree Charani. She fell five runs short of a century, caught by Charani off Nandini Sharma for 95.
Gujarat skipper Ashleigh Gardner smashed a 26-ball 49, hitting four boundaries and three sixes to take the side past 200.
Nandini Sharma capped a memorable outing by becoming the fourth bowler to claim a hat-trick in WPL history, joining Issy Wong, Deepti Sharma and Grace Harris. She finished with 5 for 33, including the wickets of Kanika Ahuja, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Renuka Singh in successive balls. She also dismissed Devine and Gautam earlier. The 24-year-old medium pacer from Chandigarh became the first uncapped bowler to claim a hat-trick in WPL history.
But in the end, it was Devine who had the last laugh with her superb final over.
Brief scores:
Gujarat Giants 209 all out in 20 overs (Sophie Devine 95, Ashleigh Gardner 49; Nandini Sharma 5-33, Shree Charani 2-42, Chinelle Henry 2-43) beat Delhi Capitals 205 for 5 in 20 overs (Lizelle Lee 85, Laura Wolvaardt 77; Sophie Devine 2-21, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2-34) by 4 runs.
