Delhi Capitals aim for strong showing against Gujarat Giants
Delhi Capitals will ride the momentum of their big win over table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru and bank on their strong bowling line-up to deliver when they face Gujarat Giants on Tuesday, with the business end of the Women’s Premier League fast approaching.
Delhi Capitals, the most consistent side in the WPL after reaching all three finals but finishing runners-up each time, made a telling statement in their last outing by handing Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru their first defeat of the season. The comprehensive seven-wicket win not only kept them in contention for the play-offs but also lifted them to second spot on the WPL points table.
DC, led by star Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues, didn’t have the best start to the season, but their consistency has emerged as the campaign has progressed. South African batting stalwarts Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee have provided solidity at the top, although ace opener Shafali Verma’s patchy form has persisted. Shafali has managed just one half-century at the top and Jemimah will want the top order to fire in unison to avoid losing focus as the tournament enters a crucial phase.
She, too, will be hoping to shake off the poor form that has lingered this season, having scored only one half-century — against Mumbai Indians — even as she continues to demonstrate her leadership skills in her first season as DC’s captain. Jemimah will be heartened by the wealth of bowling options at her disposal. Dismissing a strong RCB batting line-up for just over 100 runs in their previous game was a masterclass from her bowlers, particularly young pacer Nandani Sharma, veteran South African quick Marizanne Kapp, and left-arm spinner Shree Charani, who is rapidly emerging as a specialist in containing runs.
Charani, however, will have her work cut out against a Gujarat Giants side that hammered her for 42 runs in their earlier clash this season, going on to post a massive 200-plus total and narrowly defeating Delhi Capitals by four runs in a thrilling encounter at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Gujarat Giants, placed third behind DC with both teams on six points, have a very strong batting lineup, though it has yet to fire consistently — a key reason they have managed just three wins in six outings. GG’s New Zealand opener Sophie Devine struck a masterful 95 against DC earlier this season, but three consecutive single-digit scores afterwards raised concerns. However, her unbeaten half-century in the last game against UP Warriorz would have gone a long way in restoring her confidence.
Devine’s all-round performance — consistently picking up wickets — has made her one of the main game-changers for the team, and her impact will once again be crucial on Tuesday. GG will also be hoping that Australian stalwart Beth Mooney, who has struggled this season, and skipper Ashleigh Gardner, who has not been at her best and has often relied on the lower order for late-order hitting and scoring, can find form. The trio of pacers — Renuka Singh, Kashvee Gautam, and Sophie Devine — can turn the game, while the spin department, led by India stalwart Rajeshwari Gayakwad, adds a potent combination capable of making a significant impact.
The Squads
Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (c), Kanika Ahuja, Sophie Devine, Bharti Fulmali, Kim Garth, Kashvee Gautam, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Happy Kumari, Jintimani Kalita, Tanuja Kanwar, Beth Mooney (wk), Renuka Singh, Anushka Sharma, Shivani Singh, Ayushi Soni, Georgia Wareham, Danni Wyatt-Hodge.
Delhi Capitals: Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Taniya Bhatia (wk), Lucy Hamilton, Chinelle Henry, Marizanne Kapp, Alana King, Lizelle Lee, Minnu Mani, Niki Prasad, Sneh Rana, Shafali Verma, Nandani Sharma, Shree Charani, Pragati Singh, Eddla Srujana, Laura Wolvaardt.
