Gujarat Giants vs Delhi Capitals, Eliminator Match Summary

The final beckons! Right then, two contenders remain standing in the quest for glory, while four have fallen along the way. One final chapter awaits us here in Vadodara on Thursday, 5th February. It is a second final for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have the chance to claim their second WPL title, while Delhi Capitals will be striving for a different outcome in what is a rematch of the 2024 final, hoping it is fourth time lucky for them. The summit clash will get underway at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but you can join us well before the first ball for all the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Jemimah Rodrigues wins the award for her 23-ball 41-run knock. The DC skipper says that this final feels different. Adds that they couldn't get it done against the Giants in the first two games, but when you believe as a team, magic happens. Mentions that they had a very short meeting and just backed each other's skills and trusted each other. Credits her bowlers and says they make her look like a good captain. She also cheekily calls out Kapp, letting her know that she is praising the bowlers. Tells that it's one more game to go, and they have to do the same things. Praises Shafali and Lee for the way they started the chase, and even when they fell, they kept going and played on the merit of the ball. Says she and Laura didn't panic and praises her partner for batting so well in these conditions. Admits that she was trying a bit too hard earlier in the season, but just let herself go in the last couple of games. Ends by saying that some may practice on the rest day, but most will just chill around, as everyone has already prepared well, and it is all about going out there and playing their best in the final.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Reactions on the win from the DC camp - Lizelle Lee says keeping wicket before batting always helps her get her eye in, and adds that winning the toss and fielding first worked in their favour. She feels the team’s fielding has been solid overall and believes this game was a good reflection of that, with the bowlers doing an excellent job to restrict the opposition. Lee praises Jemimah Rodrigues, calling her a positive captain who has done extremely well in getting the best out of her players, something she says she really appreciates. Talking about her batting approach, Lee explains that the plan was to play as straight as possible and make good decisions. On her one-handed catch, she jokes by saying that it was terrible and admits that she probably should have gone with two hands. Looking ahead to the final, Lee says the focus will be on sticking to the basics and playing what is in front of them. As for plans before then, she smiles and says that she would probably spend the entire day in bed.

The captain of the Gujarat Giants - Ashleigh Gardner says it was not the most ideal start, but feels Mooney’s rescue act, along with Wareham, gave them a fighting total if they bowled well. She credits the DC openers for the way they bat, saying their aggression in the Powerplay is their biggest weapon, and they used it perfectly. She points out that her side missed the stumps too often and gave away too many freebies, which played straight into DC's hands as they love to attack the ball and put bowlers under pressure. Ash adds that Wareham's two-wicket over briefly pulled them back into the game, but they were unable to apply that kind of pressure consistently. Despite the loss, she feels there are plenty of positives, highlighting that making the playoffs two years in a row is a strong achievement for a team that did not win many matches at the start of the WPL. She believes this is the most balanced side they have had and says they have unearthed some exciting talent, with young Anushka Sharma looking completely at home and Gayakwad showing her experience. She also liked the way different players step up at different times, saying that is exactly what you want, rather than relying on just one or two individuals. Ash signs off by saying she would love to be in the final, but someone has to lose, and while it hurts now, there are plenty of positives to take into next season.

From early trouble to late push - Asked to bat on a fresh surface, the Gujarat Giants lost three wickets inside the Powerplay. After watching partners come and go, Beth Mooney finally found the right ally in Georgia Wareham, and the pair set things up nicely for a strong finish. However, Delhi Capitals struck with a couple of quick wickets to peg them back. The Capitals then lost control at the death, conceding 60 runs in the final five overs, which allowed the Giants to push their total to 168. Delhi conceded 19 runs in wides, and while it did not cost them the game, it is an area they will want to tidy up in the final.

Headstart held DC firm - Both Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee fell in the same over, but their 89-run stand put the Capitals in good stead. With just over a run a ball required, Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt played low-risk cricket to keep things ticking along. Apart from Georgia Wareham, who delivered the double strike, no other Gujarat bowler was able to apply pressure from the other end.

A chase won in the Powerplay - The start was sedate for the Delhi Capitals, with just 12 runs coming off the first two overs. After a decent opening over, Renuka Singh Thakur was taken out of the attack and replaced by Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Her over went for 14 runs and opened the floodgates. The back of the chase was broken in the Powerplay itself, with 63 runs coming from the final four overs.

A statement win by the Capitals - Delhi Capitals are through to their fourth successive final. They set up a date with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and having lost to RCB in the 2024 final, they will be eager to settle the score and finally go one step further this time around. For Gujarat Giants, the wait for a maiden final appearance and a first WPL title continues. They had the momentum at the halfway stage after the way they finished with the bat, but just could not turn up with the ball.

FOUR! Marizanne Kapp hits the winning runs! Georgia Wareham tosses it up, full and on middle and off. Kapp gets her front leg out of the way and lofts it towards the long off fence for a boundary. DC WIN BY 7 WICKETS AND QUALIFY FOR THE WPL 2026 FINAL!

Flighted, full and on off, Laura Wolvaardt eases it to long off for a run. DC just one hit away from the final now.

Floated, full and on leg, Marizanne Kapp misses her flick as the ball goes off her pads towards short fine. A leg bye taken.

Another excellent effort in the deep! Flatter, full and down the leg side. Laura Wolvaardt tickles it away fine towards the fine leg fence. Anushka Sharma goes after it from short fine and dives forward to push the ball back in just in time. Three taken.

Flatter, shortish and on middle, Marizanne Kapp stays back and keeps it out.

Marizanne Kapp walks out to bat.

OUT! TAKEN! Jemimah Rodrigues tries to be a bit too aggressive and holes out here. Rajeshwari Gayakwad slows it up, full and around off. Jemi goes inside out to go cover covers, but has to reach out a bit and ends up miscuing the shot off the outer half of the bat. It flies over mid off, where Sophie Devine backtracks and takes the catch. Jemimah goes back for a terrific 41 off 23, and has done her job, but would have liked to stay till the end.

FOUR! Oh..no! A fine effort on the previous ball, but Georgia Wareham lets herself down this time. Tossed up, full and on middle, Jemimah Rodrigues goes down and slogs sweeps it to deep mid-wicket. It bounces in front of Wareham, but she takes her eyes off the ball and parries over the fence for a boundary.

Flatter, full and on off, Laura Wolvaardt uses her feet again and heaves it off the inside half of the bat through mid-wicket. Georgia Wareham in the deep runs a long way to her left and dives to make the stop. She gets up, throws it to the bowler's end, where Laura wants the second but is sent back in time. Good to see Wareham still putting in the effort, despite the game being out of their hands.

SIX! Good use of the feet! Flighted delivery, on a nagging length, on off. Wolvaardt advances down the track and launches it over the long on fence for a six.

Full and drifting in at the pads, Rodrigues clips it through mid-wicket for a single.

Rajeshwari Gayakwad comes back into the attack.

Fingertip stuff! This is slowed down by Wareham and she hangs it up there, on off. Jemimah backs away to go through the off side. She is early into the shot and spoons it in the direction of the bowler. Georgia leaps on her follow-through and sticks out the right hand over her head. It clips her fingertips and dribbles behind for a run.

On a length, around off, Laura pushes it wide of extra cover and takes a quick single.

Floated up, on middle, this is hit down to long on for a single.

FOUR! Threads it through! Fractionally short, on off and middle. Jemimah rocks on the back foot and stays leg side of the ball. She cuts it to the right of backward point and picks up a boundary.

The call is for two and they make it! Flatter and shorter, on middle and leg. Jemimah rocks back and pulls it between deep mid-wicket and long on. Wolvaardt responds to the call of two and hurries to the danger end. She dives and gets home.

FOUR! Cheeky! Floated up, on middle and leg. Rodrigues brings out the reverse. Tanuja Kanwer is standing a bit square at short third. She dives to her left but fails to make the stop. It races past her for a boundary.

Georgia Wareham (2-0-7-2) is back on. GG need her to repeat what she did in the first over.

On a good length, outside off, Wolvaardt punches it to extra cover.

Full and on leg, Jemimah wrists it through mid-wicket and gets to the other end.