Gujarat Giants’ players celebrate after winning the match against Delhi Capitals during the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 T20 cricket match at the BCA Stadium, in Vadodara, Gujarat, on January 27, 2026. Photo: BCCI via PTI
The exuberance of Niki Prasad and the experience of Sneh Rana combined to nearly snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Women’s Premier League on Tuesday (January 27, 2026). However, Sophie Devine maintained her poise in the final over and helped Gujarat Giants eke out a three-run win at the Kotambi Stadium.
With Capitals needing nine runs off the last over to chase down 175, Devine conceded just five. The seamer managed to dismiss Sneh off the fourth ball, and had Niki hole out at long-on off the final ball.
That DC came so close was purely down to a rearguard stand of 70 between Niki and Sneh for the seventh wicket. When they came together, the visitors were 100 for six, requiring another 75 runs from 33 deliveries. The duo injected belief into the camp by taking 23 runs off Devine in the 17th over.
DC’s response with the bat ebbed and flowed from the outset. In the first six overs, a mix of daring strokeplay and wayward bowling yielded a quick flow of runs, but DC also lost the wickets of openers Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee.
Three quick wickets
Laura Wolvaardt and Jemimah Rodrigues seemed to bring a semblance of calm with a 31-run stand for the third wicket. But, in the space of 10 balls, Jemimah, Marizanne Kapp and Wolvaardt were all dismissed.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad removed Shafali Verma, Wolvaardt and Chinelle Henry to finish with three for 20.
Earlier, Giants rode on Beth Mooney’s 46-ball 58 to reach a competitive 174 for nine. Anushka Sharma, who made 39 at No. 3, provided able support to Mooney.
Having strode in at the fall of Devine’s wicket, Anushka drove and flicked with authority for a spree of early boundaries. For DC, left-arm spinner Shree Charani starred with figures of four for 31.
Mooney brought up her half-century in the 15th over by charging at Shree Charani for a boundary towards long-on. She then pre-empted the bowler pulling back the length, and duly rocked back for a cut through point. While the wicketkeeper-batter couldn’t stay through to the end, the runs she compiled proved decisive to the final verdict.
Published – January 28, 2026 12:38 am IST
