Shafali Verma plays a shot during the ICC Women’s World Cup Final match against South Africa in Navi Mumbai.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

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Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, WPL 2025, Highlights© BCCI

Delhi Capitals (DC) pulled off a nail-biting two-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) on Saturday. The match witnessed some electrifying moments, with Shafali Verma’s aggressive innings at the top. Former India captain Mithali Raj, speaking on JioHotstar, lauded Shafali’s fearless approach. “I think anyone stepping into Shafali Verma’s shoes would acknowledge how she has never shown a defensive approach. Right from the second ball, she started scoring runs, playing her shots with her usual flair. That’s just her style,” she said, as quoted from a release by JioHotstar.

Shafali’s knock kept DC in the hunt, but her dismissal turned out to be a turning point in the contest.

Analyzing her wicket, Mithali added, “The only way to dismiss her today was to outthink her, and I understand that feeling because I’ve been in that situation myself. At one point, she had too much time and wasn’t sure where to place the ball. Just before her dismissal, the fielding side adjusted their setup, bringing mid-on up and pushing deep square leg back because she had found boundaries there. She instinctively aimed to clear mid-on but ended up playing into the fielder’s hands, resulting in a crucial wicket.”

Coming to the match, chasing 165, DC was left 109/5 in 14.5 overs despite a fine 60-run opening stand. However, Niki Prasad and Sarah took down the equation to 10 runs off the last over despite wickets falling at other end. With two runs needed on final ball, the pair of Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav completed a risky double and it was worth all the toil.

After Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to bowl first, they were off to a fine start as a low grab by skipper Meg Lanning on a Shikha Pandey delivery sent Hayley Matthews packing for a duck on the second ball. MI was 0/1.

In the next over, Alice Capsey gave away 19 runs, including five runs after a four on wide, two fours from Yastika Bhatia and one boundary from Nat-Sciver Brunt.

Shikha got her second wicket in the fifth over, beating Yastika’s stumps as she was gone for 11 in nine balls. MI was 32/2 in 4.2 overs.

At the end of powerplay, MI was 41/2 in six overs, with Brunt (22*) joined by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (2*) unbeaten.

With a four by Brunt, MI reached the 50-run mark in 7.1 overs. In the same over, she and Kaur hit Radha for a four and six more, looting 18 runs in total.

The duo kept the run-rate up and brought up their 50-run stand in 30 balls. In 10 overs, MI were 87/2, with Brunt (45*) and Kaur (24*) unbeaten.

In the 11th over, Kaur went on a blitz against Annabel Sutherland, smashing her for three fours and a six before debutant Niki Prasad caught her, sending her back for 42 in 22 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. MI was 105/3 in 10.5 overs.

Sciver Brunt reached her fourth WPL fifty in 36 balls, with nine fours. But after that, there was one wicket falling per over from overs 14-16, leaving MI struggling at 146/6. Amelia Kerr, S Sajana and Amanjot Kaur went back to the pavilion for single digits.

Sciver held the innings together, helping MI reach the 150-run mark in 16.5 overs.MI continued their implosion towards the end, bundling out for 164 runs in 19.1 overs. Brunt was the top-scorer, with 80* in 59 balls, with 13 fours.

Sutherland (3/34) was the top bowler for DC. Shikha got two while Minnu Mani and Capsey got one each.

During the run-chase of 165, Delhi was off to a fine start as Shafali Varma looted 22 runs in the second over bowled by Saika Ishaque, including four boundaries and a six.

In the sixth over, Shafali launched Matthews for two successive fours, bringing up the 50-run mark in 5.1 overs and a six. However, a fine catch at short mid-wicket from Amanjot meant the bowler had the last laugh. Shafali was gone for 43 in 18 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. DC was 60/1 in 5.5 overs.

In the next over, Lanning’s knock of 15 in 19 balls, with three fours was ended by Shabnim Ismail as she castled her stumps. DC was 60/2 in 6.1 overs.

All-rounders Amelia and Sciver got Jemimah Rodrigues (2) and Annabel Sutherland (13) in quick succession, derailing DC’s chase, and sinking them to 76/4 in 8.5 overs.

At the end of 10 overs, DC were 83/4, with Capsey (3*) and Prasad (5*) unbeaten.DC reached the 100-run mark in 13 overs, with the help of a four by Niki.

An attempted loft by Capsey went into hands of Ismail at long-on, removing her at the hands of Amelia for 16 in 18 balls. DC was 109/5 in 14.5 overs.

Some hits by Prasad and Sarah Bryce helped DC bring down the equation to 21 in two overs, but Mathews had removed Bryce for 21 in 12 balls, with two fours and a six.

The 19th over was a thrilling one. While Shikha was run out for three, Radha Yadav tonked the final ball for a six, bringing down the equation to 10 runs in the last over.

The final over started with Niki hitting a boundary. But the dismissal of Niki on the second-last ball for 35 in 33 balls, with four boundaries, left DC with two to get on the final ball.DC chased down the total on the last ball, with Arundhati Reddy (2*) and Radha Yadav (9*) completing a risky double.

Amelia (2/21) and Mathews (2/32) were top wicket-takers for MI. Ismail, Sciver and Sajana got one each.

As the Indian women’s cricket team shatters records in Ireland, explosive batter Shafali Verma can only watch the girls from her home on television. Touted as the next big thing in the Indian women’s team, Shafali was dropped from the squad over a poor run of form. But, the batter has shown great intent to learn from her mistakes and emerge as a better player. Recalling the setback when she was dropped from the team, Shafali said that she didn’t break the news to her father as he had a heart attack just two days before her omission from the team.

Shafali was part of the ODI series against New Zealand, where she registered scores of 33, 11, and 12. The selectors decided to remove her from the team and get Pratika Rawal as a replacement. Rawal has already done wonders at the top of the batting order. In six matches, she has scored a century and three half-centuries already.

“It’s not easy to get over it. I didn’t want to reveal it because my father had a heart attack about two days before I got dropped from the team. I hid the news from him till he got better. He was in the hospital. I told him a week later,” Shafali told the Indian Express.

Since making recovery, Shafali’s father has been constantly working to get his daughter to improve her skills and earn a recall to the national team.

“Father knows everything. Sometimes as kids even we forget our strengths, but they don’t forget,” Shafali said. “He reminded me of the workouts and drills from my childhood… These are my strengths, and sometimes you need to work on them to remember how good you are at them.”

In the two domestic tournaments Shafali has featured in since being dropped, she has aggregated scores of 527 and 414 runs in 12 matches. But, the young batter also knows the areas she has to improve on.

“The constant work is on areas like when deliveries don’t come to my strengths, how do I take singles, how do I rotate strike, how do I build my innings. Everyone knows my strengths, but the constant goal is to mentally get smarter by learning how to build an innings better,” she added.

Top-order batter Shafali Verma was on Tuesday dropped from India’s 16-member women’s team for the three-match ODI series in Australia in December after a string of poor performances in the past year. The BCCI selectors seem to have once again lost patience with the 20-year-old right-handed batter, whose recent ODI form has been disappointing. Shafali has scored just 108 runs in six matches this year with 33 being the highest. She was dropped in December last year from the team midway during the home ODI series against Australia on the basis of her poor run, before making a comeback against South Africa in June this year in Bengaluru.

In fact, the youngster, rated as the next big thing in Indian women’s cricket when she broke into the team in 2021, has not scored a ODI half century since making an unbeaten 71 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in July 2022. Her next highest score was a 49 against the same opponent in the same series.

Four other players — Uma Chetry, Dayalan Hemalatha, Shreyanka Patil and Sayali Satghare — were also left out from the squad that played in India’s 2-1 home series win against New Zealand in Ahmedabad last month.

Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Minnu Mani, Titas Sadhu and Priya Punia are the five players who did not face New Zealand but were named in the team for the Australia series.

The first two ODIs will be played at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on December 5 and 8 before the action shifts to WACA Ground, Perth on December 11 for the final match of the series, which is a part of the ICC Women’s Championship.

India’s squad for three-match ODI series: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Yastika Bhatia (WK), Richa Ghosh (WK), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Saima Thakor.

India Women vs New Zealand Women Live Streaming 1st ODI: Where To Watch© X (Twitter)

India were left hoping old rivals Pakistan can rescue their Women’s T20 World Cup dreams after suffering an agonising nine-run loss to defending champions Australia on Sunday. Australia made sure of their semi-final spot by topping Group A with a perfect four wins from four matches. India, on four points after two wins and two losses, must hope that Pakistan beat New Zealand on Monday to leave the second semi-final place to be decided on net run-rate.

A win for the Kiwis, however, will put them into the last-four and eliminate India.

“It’s something which is not in our control,” admitted India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

“If we get the opportunity to play another game, that will be great. But otherwise, whoever deserves to be there, that team will be there.”

Six-time champions Australia overcame the absence of skipper Alyssa Healy to become the first team to guarantee a semi-final berth.

Tahlia McGrath led Australia after Healy dropped out with a foot injury, suffered while batting in a victory over Pakistan on Friday.

Healy’s replacement Grace Harris top-scored with 40 and McGrath hit 32 as Australia posted 151-8 after electing to bat first.

In reply, India finished on 142-9 with Kaur hitting an unbeaten 54 as she put on a fourth-wicket stand of 63 with Deepti Sharma, who made 29, and took the fight to the final over.

India needed 14 off the last six balls, but lost four wickets as Australian bowler Annabel Sutherland gave away just four runs. 

The victory extended Australia’s winning streak to 15 in the tournament.

“We want to win every game we play,” said McGrath.

“We knew it was going to be a really big challenge for us today. They came really hard at us. I am just really proud of the group. We held our nerve at the end there.” 

Meanwhile, Pakistan stand-in skipper Muneeba Ali said her team has not given up hope of squeezing into the semi-finals.

As well as beating New Zealand on Monday, Pakistan also have to significantly improve a run-rate which is inferior to that of both the Kiwis and India.

“We know that the pool is still open. We have a chance to win tomorrow’s match and if we win by a good margin, we have a chance to qualify for the semi-finals,” said Muneeba.

Pakistan will be boosted by the return of skipper Fatima Sana who missed the nine-wicket loss to Australia after briefly returning home following the death of her father.

‘Keep the momentum’

In Group B, England crushed Scotland by 10 wickets with openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge putting on an unbeaten century partnership.

England restricted Scotland to 109-6 in 20 overs after left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone returned figures of 2-13 in a disciplined bowling attack.

England romped home with 10 overs to spare as Bouchier hit 62 off 34 deliveries, earning herself player of the match honours as her team closed in on a semi-final spot.

Wyatt-Hodge smashed 51 off 26 balls in a commanding display by the 2009 champions.

A third successive win sent England top of Group B ahead of South Africa, who have three wins out of four, and the West Indies.

England face the West Indies on Tuesday in Dubai with the Caribbean side, champions in 2016, needing to win to stay in contention for the semi-finals.

“Just try and win, exactly the same way we have approached (the tournament so far),” skipper Heather Knight said of facing the West Indies.

“You want to keep winning, keep that momentum and we want to go again, get some momentum and make it to the semis.”

Scotland, who ended winless after qualifying for the tournament for the first time, and Bangladesh have already bowed out of the 10-team competition.

“Pretty tough tournament in general but a massive honour to be here and to be leading the team out in a tournament like this,” skipper Kathryn Bryce said. “Only learnings to be taken from here.”

India vs Australia LIVE: Let’s take a look at the squads!

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, S Sajana

Ahead of the clash against Australia in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Dubai, Indian opener Shafali Verma said that the team’s focus will be on net run rate in the upcoming match against the defending champions. India and Australia will lock horns with each other in the 18th match of the ongoing marquee event at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Two competition heavyweights go head-to-head in a match-up that will have major ramifications on who reaches the semi-finals.

“We all know that net run rate is going on and we keep playing it. And I think if you are playing in the Indian team, you don’t need to tell us that you’re below the NRR. Because everyone is very mature and everyone is seeing everything. So, I think it’s not something to say. But of course, we have the NRR in our minds. And we’ll keep a focus on it,” Shafali Verma said as quoted by the ICC.

India’s first-up loss to New Zealand means they desperately need a victory here to boost their chances of making it to the knockout stages.

While they could lose this and still qualify, a win will give them the best chance as it will draw them level with Australia on six points and give their net run rate a boost.

While Australia are unbeaten in the UAE and impressed so far with three consecutive victories, they do have some fresh headaches with injuries to skipper Alyssa Healy and pacer Tayla Vlaeminck to deal with.

The six-time champions have excellent depth in their squad, with the likes of Grace Harris, Kim Garth and Darcie Brown waiting in the wings and ready to move into the starting XI if required.

One thing can be assured, this will be an enthralling contest as the ongoing rivalry between India and Australia continues.

Australian spinner Ashley Gardner is hoping that every player in the team will perform in the fixture against Women in Blue.

“Our focus is solely on India and whatever the team makeup is, I’m sure everyone that is in the XI will do a fantastic job,” Ashley Gardner said.

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia (subject to fitness), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil (subject to fitness), Sajana Sajeevan.

Travelling reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor.

Non-Travelling reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra

Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham.