New Delhi, 15 January 2026: It was a night of celebrations yesterday as we registered our first win of the 2026 WPL season and came out on top against the UP Warriorz by 7 wickets. In yet another game that went down to the last ball, our girls kept their cool and guided the team over the finish line, giving Jemimah Rodrigues her first win as DC captain.
After winning the toss, we chose to bowl first and put the Warriorz in. Our northern rivals were immediately under pressure after losing Kiran Navgire for a duck on the third ball of the innings to South African speedster Marizanne Kapp. The Warriorz seemed in control at 131-2 before the loss of Meg Lanning sparked a strong fightback from our bowlers. Shafali Varma was the pick of the bunch, restricting the run-rate and increasing pressure on the batters. She ended the innings with figures of 2/16 from four overs, surprising everyone.
While chasing 155 runs, Shafali and Lee made light work of the target. Lizelle Lee, continuing her form from the previous game, scored 67 off 44 balls, dismantling the opposition bowling attack and helping us score 46 runs in the powerplay. Her opening partner, Shafali Varma, played a supporting role with 36 off 30 balls, helping DC race to 93 runs for no loss in 12 overs.
After losing Shafali and Lizelle within the span of 20 runs, Laura Wolvaardt and Jemimah Rodrigues took control and steered the team towards victory. Just as the finishing line came into sight, we lost our skipper with 7 runs needed off 7 balls. Marizanne Kapp entered the field and struck a boundary, bringing the target down to 2 runs off 4 balls. Despite the odds, it was Laura’s nerves of steel and her tenacious cover drive that sent the ball racing to the boundary, securing the win for Delhi Capitals.
With this win, we have opened our points account for the season. The team showed grit, determination, and a never-give-up attitude that will surely inspire the rest of the season. We look forward to continuing the winning momentum in our next game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday, 17th January.
