After Delhi Capitals pulled again UP Warriorz with Shafali Verma’s assist, Lizelle Lee’s massive hits ensured that they bought dwelling regardless of a late wobble.
It was a recreation between the 2 groups nonetheless to get off the mark within the Girls’s Premier League (WPL), and the nerves have been all too evident on each side, despite the fact that there was no crowd in attendance. In the long run, Delhi Capitals stumbled over the road off the ultimate ball of the sport, which had no enterprise going so deep. However Jemimah Rodrigues, her staff and the teaching workers will hope that the seven-wicket win on the DY Patil Stadium is just the start after a tricky begin to the marketing campaign. Alternatively, it was the third straight defeat for Meg Lanning’s UP Warriorz, and so they appear to be staring down the barrel.
Lee’s onslaught
Chasing 155 for a win after a much bigger goal appeared possible for many of the UP Warriorz innings, the Delhi Capitals knew that nicely begun could be half the job executed. The 94-run stand in 11.3 overs between Lizelle Lee (67 in 44 balls, 8x4s, 3x6s) and Shafali Verma (36 in 32 balls, 6x4s) ought to have ideally ensured that the remainder of the chase grew to become a cakewalk. That it bought tight ultimately made it all of the extra important.
South African Lee targets the leg-side for many of her massive hits, except the supply is large of the stumps. Her energy ensures that even photographs that will not come off the center of the bat have a great likelihood of clearing the sphere. Happening on one knee and slog-sweeping appears to be her go-to choice, and she or he employed it usually on Wednesday. Shafali, who usually units the tempo for the Capitals, was made to look pedestrian by her bespectacled opening companion.
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🎥 Lizelle Lee’s fierce ball-striking on show but once more 💪
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— Girls’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) January 14, 2026
Lee was dismissed along with her staff needing 41 off 32 balls with eight wickets in hand, seemingly a simple task. Nonetheless, the Capitals had contrived to lose a recreation from a successful place within the final over towards the Gujarat Giants of their earlier outing. They simply about managed to keep away from a repeat.
Unlikely bowling hero
Shafali got here on to bowl within the thirteenth over – her captain later insisted she wasn’t the final choice – with the Warriorz, with Meg Lanning and Harleen Deol have been within the midst of what seemed like a match-defining 85-run partnership. The Australian legend had hit her stride, and Harleen was being her regular self. A complete of above 180 might have been on the playing cards earlier than Shafali’s innocuous-looking off-spin entered the equation.
Shafali Verma comes up clutch…with the ball in hand 😮
🎥 2⃣ essential wickets in an excellent ultimate over of the innings 👏
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— Girls’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) January 14, 2026
What might have been a determined experiment turned out to be a masterstroke, as her accuracy, street-smartness, and variations tied the batters in knots. Shafali conceded only one boundary in her spell, and such was her affect that Jemimah entrusted her with the final over, which went for less than six runs whereas bringing two wickets. Her ultimate figures of two/16 in 4 overs might have been the decisive intervention within the recreation.
Retired-out drama
When a batter is on a 36-ball 47 with three overs to go, typical knowledge would counsel that she could be finest suited to the late assault. However UP Warriorz went left subject and retired Harleen out in favour of South African Chloe Tryon.
The perplexing transfer didn’t present the specified outcome. Tryon scored only one off three balls because the staff managed a mere 13 subsequent runs. Lanning later justified the choice, saying the innings had bought caught and an enormous hitter like Tryon may have supplied the required impetus. Hindsight could also be 20/20 imaginative and prescient, however a set batter like Harleen might have managed just a few extra, even when she is a extra classical operator.
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Temporary scores: UP Warriorz 154/8 (Lanning 54, Harleen 47; Shafali 2/16, Kapp 2/24) misplaced to Delhi Capitals 158/3 (Lee 67, Shafali 36) by seven wickets