WPL 2026, Match 7: Delhi Capitals get off the mark with nervy win against UP Warriorz

UP Warriorz (UP) clashed with Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 7 of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday, January 14. The Capitals won the toss and elected to field first. UP made one change - Chloe Tryon came in for Deandra Dottin while DC entered the game with the same XI.

UP suffered an early blow as hard-hitting batter Kiran Navgire (0 off 3) continued with her struggle this season. Left-hander Phoebe Litchfield joined her captain Meg Lanning in the middle as the latter completed 1000 WPL runs off her first ball of the innings in the second over. The Australians counter-attacked after the first over which was a wicket maiden. Importantly, the duo took their team to the end of the powerplay with no further losses (47/1).

But, off the very first ball of the seventh over Sneh Rana struck as Litchfield (27 off 20) charged down the track and was stumped. Harleen Deol joined Lanning and the batters formed a big partnership of 85 runs off 56 balls, providing the team a solid platform for the death overs. Lanning, in the process, completed her 10th WPL fifty off 32 balls before succumbing to last match's star Nandani Sharma.

Soon after, Deol who was going well was retired out for 47(36) making this the second instance of the season and the league. UP were 141/4 in 17 overs at this stage, but could not add many in the last three overs. They finished at 154/8 after their full quota of overs. For DC, Marizanne Kapp produced the best figures, 4-1-24-2.

DC openers - wicketkeeper-batter Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma - began the chase at a decent rate. Their innings received a boost in the sixth over when Lee blasted her compatriot Chloe Tryon for 16 runs. The partnership flourished and the scoring rate started to go up. Lee was the aggressor of the two as the South African reached her second consecutive half century in the 10th over.

With 68 runs needed off 60 balls, it looked like DC's game all the way. But, Asha Sobhana provided a much-needed breakthrough in the form of Verma (36 off 32) with the scoreboard reading 94/1 after 11.3 overs. Laura Wolvaardt joined Lee and the duo played with care. The partnership was moving at a slower pace and the pressure was rising. Lee (67 off 44) succumbed to it as Deepti Sharma brought about the second wicket.

Captain Jemimah Rodrigues combined with Wolvaardt and it looked like the pair would take the team home comfortably. But, the former (21 off 14) was dismissed on the doorstep of victory by Deepti. Six runs were needed off the last over and another pair of South Africans were at the crease. 

New batter Marizanne Kapp played out a dot ball and followed it up with a four to ease the mounting pressure. Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone bowled two more dot balls next as DC now needed two runs from two balls. Kapp went for a single off the fifth ball which was a leg bye. Wolvaardt, who was calmly playing on, stroked the final ball through the covers for four to give DC their first win of the season.

For UP, Sobhana (1/20) and Deepti (2/26) were the best bowlers. Shafali, for her 36 runs and 2/16, was adjudged as the Player of the Match.