Gujarat Giants vs Delhi Capitals, Match 17 Match Summary

Farewell, folks! We have witnessed some scintillating hitting in the chase on two consecutive days. Richa Ghosh thrilled everyone last evening, and tonight Niki Prasad, along with Sneh Rana, did much the same. After this result, Gujarat Giants climb to second place on the points table with eight points, while Delhi Capitals sit fourth with six. The table remains intriguingly poised. The top spot stays unchanged, while the second position continues to swap hands. The WPL now takes a one-day break. Action resumes on Thursday, 29 January 2026, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on bottom-placed UP Warriorz. Play begins at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), and you can join us well in advance. Cheers!

Player of the Match is Sophie Devine (4-0-37-4) - She says she owes a lot to Ashleigh Gardner for showing trust in her despite an expensive 17th over, which brought DC back in the game. Feels that Ash showed great bravery to bowl the 19th over with the short side of the boundary on the leg side. Devine adds that the key in those moments is staying really calm and keeping the plans as simple as possible. She stresses the importance of leaving ego at the door, being open to asking for help, and learning about the conditions from the local players. Devine feels it is important to make those small tweaks to adapt to conditions. According to her, early in the tournament, it was about getting volume into the legs, and as the competition goes on, she's training a little less to avoid mental and physical fatigue. Devine says it is awesome to share the dressing room with this group and feels contributions have come from everywhere. She gives special mention to Beth Mooney, Anushka Sharma, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad for their efforts in this game, and adds that Gayakwad and Mooney were both deserving of the Player of the Match award.

The captain of Gujarat Giants - Ashleigh Gardner says that it was a bit of a roller-coaster and that, at the end of the day, being in the entertainment industry means they managed to entertain the fans. She admits that her heart was going to the roof. She observes that the wickets have progressively got better over the last couple of games. Mentions that their total was nearly chased down, so either the batters are getting used to the pitch, or the wickets are improving, or perhaps it is a combination of both. She believes that a score around 170-180 was probably par and notes that they bowled well for the first 17 overs before allowing Delhi back into the game. Ash adds that, as bowlers, it is important to keep things simple, as overcomplicating plans often leads to things not working. She praises the two left-arm spinners for their performances in the match and highlights that Sophie Devine was pivotal throughout her four overs. She stresses the need to stay consistent and mentions that although they have had a few close games and will celebrate the small wins, realistically, they need to win the final game to qualify for the playoffs. Concludes by saying that they must switch their focus to Mumbai, a team against whom they do not have a good record.

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Anushka Sharma is up for a chat - She says that she is almost out of words after another nail-biting finish against the Delhi Capitals. She adds that the credit goes to Sophie Devine for coming up clutch in the final over. Tells that with DC 5 wickets down, they thought they had the game in hand. She highlights how well Niki batted and felt that she almost took the match away from them, but in the end, they were pleased to come out on the winning side. She believes her best with the bat is yet to come, and feels that she could have done better tonight. When asked about her approach with the bat, she replies that it is about playing with the same intent, backing her strengths, and batting accordingly. Speaking about her wrist, she shares that there was a bit of pain earlier, but it is fine now.

The captain of Delhi Capitals - Jemimah Rodrigues says the way Sneh Rana and Niki Prasad played was outstanding and really special, adding that the team kept fighting right till the very end. Jemimah admits that such things do happen in cricket, but says it would have been nice to get over the line tonight.  She adds that belief never dropped in the dugout, and more importantly, Sneh and Niki kept believing. With the ball, she feels they gave away 15-20 runs more. Reflecting on the batting effort, Jemimah says they needed more partnerships at the top of the order, herself included. She mentions that the next game is going to be really important, and with a bit of a break before that, the team will look to regroup.

GG ruled with the ball, for most parts -  The bowling effort was top-notch from the Giants. The start was not ideal as Shafali Verma came out blazing, batting like a train on fire. Delhi Capitals flew early to 51 for 2 in the Powerplay, before the pairing of Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt steadied things and moved the innings along, albeit at a gentler pace. Once Jemimah fell, it became a procession. From 82 for 2, Delhi slid to 100 for 6, and only then did the late counterattack arrive. Sophie Devine led the charge with a four-wicket haul, Gayakwad chipped in with three, while Tanuja Kanwer was outstanding through her four overs, conceding just 26 runs. Those spells proved decisive in the end. The result sealed a significant milestone as Gujarat Giants became the first team in WPL history to complete a double over Delhi Capitals in the league stage.

Summarising the first innings - Earlier in the evening, Gujarat Giants' batting revolved around Beth Mooney, who anchored the innings with composure and stitched together a few handy partnerships. Anushka Sharma looked at her fluent best but could not carry on for long. The innings did lose its way slightly in the closing overs as wickets fell at regular intervals, though a timely cameo from Tanuja Kanwer (21 off 11 balls) gave the total a useful push. Gujarat finished on 174 in their 20 overs, with Sree Charani the standout performer for Delhi, returning an impressive four-wicket haul.

The 17th over sparked the counterattack - Delhi's chase had been meandering without much intent, but the 17th over bowled by Sophie Devine breathed fresh life into the contest. Niki Prasad and Sneh Rana plundered 23 runs from it, cutting the equation to 37 off 18 balls. Tanuja Kanwer followed up with a tight over that went for just eight, and the asking rate crept up again, but the duo refused to lose belief. They then hammered the penultimate over from Ashleigh Gardner for 20 runs, leaving only nine needed from the final over. It was a case of finishing agonisingly close to the line once again. Heartbreak, no doubt, but Delhi Capitals can walk away with their heads held high.

A chase to cherish - What a game we have just witnessed. The never-say-die attitude of the Delhi Capitals was on full display, and it had everyone on the edge of their seats. Delhi looked down and out when Henry fell, and many had already begun writing the final lines, but Niki Prasad (47 off 24 balls) and Sneh Rana (29 off 15 balls) had other ideas. They made everyone pause and admire their stroke play. The duo produced tremendous hitting, flipped the pressure on its head, and very nearly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with their 70-run stand off only 31 balls. Even in this loss, Delhi are going to cherish every moment of the fightback displayed by Sneh and Niki. Take a bow, girls!

Deja Vu Devine!!! Sophie Devine has done it again. In the reverse fixture, Delhi Capitals needed seven to win and were turned away by her brilliance. This time, they needed nine, and once again, Devine rose to the occasion, standing tall under pressure and clinching vital points for Gujarat Giants.

OUT! CAUGHT! Niki Prasad holes out. Sophie Devine does it again for the Gujarat Giants. Ecstasy for the Giants, disappointment for the Capitals. A WPL classic in Vadodara. Devine spots Niki backing away, and she follows her with a short-of-a-length delivery. Prasad is unable to free her arms to get the desired connection. She gets her hands out in front and looks to loft it down the ground with a straight bat. Prasad gets it only as far as long on, where Ashleigh Gardner runs in off the ropes and gobbles it up. The Giants clinch this thriller by 3 runs!

Last ball. Super Over, anyone?

Just a single! Pushed across the left-hander, on a good length. Mani has a swipe across the line and drags it off the inner half, wide of deep mid-wicket. 4 needed off the final ball.

5 needed off 2 balls. Sophie Devine is again standing between Delhi and victory. Minnu Mani is in next and will be on strike. What will she fancy? A four or a single to bring Niki on strike?

OUT! CAUGHT! Georgia Wareham makes no mistake this time. A clean connection by Sneh Rana, but not enough. Devine bowls it on a back of a length, on off and middle. Sneh stays within the stumps this time and dances down the track. She picks the bones out of it but neither does she get the elevation, nor is it wide enough. Hits it flat and straight down the throat of deep mid-wicket, where Georgia Wareham takes the catch.

Well bowled! Sneh shuffles across a long way to the off side. Devine gets the yorker in, outside off. Rana swings all over it and the ball goes under the blade.

Wide given but GG have asked for a review. Rana is standing well outside the leg stump, almost close to the guideline for a left-hander. Devine follows her but slides down leg, Sneh has a swing at it but misses. The ball goes on the bounce to the keeper. Beth Mooney moves to her left and dives to make the stop. The ball made no contact with the bat or the pad. So it will stay as a wide. 5 needed off 3 balls.

Full and angled in at the pads, tucking the batter up for room as she backs away. Niki glances it to short fine leg and gets to the other end. 3 runs off the first two balls.

Well, well, well. Sophie Devine runs in to bowl, pulls out midway before delivering the ball, and issues a clear warning to the non-striker to stay within the crease. A little drama added to an already crackling contest.

Drama galore and eventually Rana is deemed safe, after eternity! A risk taken, and it has come off for DC, a very tight second run. Devine spots Prasad backing away, and she follows her with a full ball. Niki hammers it down to long on. She is content with the single, but Rana pushes her through for the second. Sneh is running towards the danger end, and the throw comes on the bounce, which is collected by Devine whilst standing beside the stumps. Rana puts in a desperate dive to make her ground. The third umpire is called into action. Did the bat bounce off the shoulder? First look suggests so, but after having a thorough look with multiple angles and a split screen, the third umpire is satisfied that the bat is grounded inside the crease. That's a big decision made.

Run out appeal. The third umpire is watching numerous replays. Pressure everywhere. Is Rana's bat in the air after getting dragged inside the crease?

There is a sense of deja vu as Devine comes on to bowl the final over. In the reverse fixture, the equation was 7 off 6 balls, and Sophie did it, can she do it again? 9 needed off 6 balls. Also, Gujarat have been penalised for a slow over-rate. So, they will have one less fielder outside the ring.

20 runs off the over! Gardner stays full, on off, Niki drills it to long off and retains the strike with a single.

FOUR! Gap picked with precision and this has been a remarkable turnaround. Gardner spears it in, full and on middle. Niki dances down the track and muscles it down the ground. The long on fielder is not far off but she is still beaten to her left.

On middle, take on the full by Rana and whipped to long on for a single.

FOUR! In the gap and Rana keeps finding the fence. Gardner sticks to the around-the-wicket angle. Fires it across, Sneh charges down the pitch again and swats it between deep mid-wicket and long on for another four.

FOUR! Thumped down the ground! 10 runs off the first two balls. DC need 19 off 10. Full toss and across off again, Sneh shuffles across and slams it back over the bowler's head for a boundary.

SIX! Georgia Wareham tips it over the ropes. Gardner pushes it across the right-hander from around the wicket. Rana walks across and reaches out. She drags the sweep and hits it flat to deep mid-wicket. Wareham is a couple of steps ahead of the ropes. She leaps but the ball clips her fingertips and drops beyond the ropes for a six. 150 up DC, and the fifty stand also comes up!

We are heading towards a thrilling finish here. 29 needed off the final 12 balls, and Ashleigh Gardner has taken matters into her own hands. She is set to bowl the 19th over.