The Delhi Capitals secured a thrilling one-run win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore to ensure their place in the playoffs of the WPL 2024 for the second straight season.
The Capitals survived a late onslaught from Richa Ghosh, who scored 51 off 29 deliveries to keep her side in the hunt till the very last ball. DC had the partnership from Jemimah Rodrigues and Alice Capsey to thank as they were able to post a challenging total in the end.
The RCB run-chase felt a bit behind the required run-rate and some pyrotechnics from Richa wasn’t enough in the end as DC went to the top of the table.
Jemimah, Capsey power DC to 181
Delhi Capitals had won the toss and opted to bat first with all eyes on Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma to give them the ideal start. The opening duo didn’t disappoint as they put on a 50-run stand for the first wicket to put the home side on course for a big total.
Shafali was the first one to fall with 54 runs, coming in 6.2 overs as RCB got some respite. They were rewarded once again after as Shreyanka trapped Lanning in front of the stumps as RCB looked to control the scoring.
However, the in-form Jemimah had other plans as she joined Capsey in the middle to take the attack back to the RCB bowling. They scored a boundary each in the following over off Asha and started to put their feet on the pedal.
The duo ensured that the 100 was up in the 13th over as that over saw Jemimah hit three boundaries. She would hit Wareham for another two in the following and a six would help her get to her fifty off just 26 balls.
Capsey would then take over from Jemimah in terms of the hitting and by the time the 17th over came in, DC had reached 150.
200 was definitely on the cards for the Capitals, however, Shreyanka had other plans in her mind. She cleaned up Jemimah to bring a momentary halt to the scoring as the 97-run stand came to an end. However, the 19th over saw Capsey take Molineux to the cleaners with 18 runs off six balls.
Shreyanka was given the duty to bowl the final over and she didn’t disappoint her captain and picked up Capsey’s wicket with the very first delivery. She would dismiss Jess Jonassen to ensure she finished with figures of 4 for 26 as the DC innings came to an end at 181.
DC keep their cool despite Perry, Richa heroics
RCB had decided to shuffle their batting order once again with Molineux coming out to bat with Mandhana. While she got off to a strong start with an incredible straight drive, the same couldn’t be said about the RCB run-chase.
Mandhana was dismissed for just 5 runs by Capsey with just 9 on the board. Ellyse Perry joined Molineux in the middle and once again started to exhibit her batting prowess. The Aussie all-rounder started off things with a boundary of the 4th over.
The next one from Jonassen saw Perry hit a six and a boundary to really get going as the required run-rate started to go up with each dot ball.
Perry got two more boundaries in the next over as RCB finished with 42 runs in the powerplay. Molineux was quiet at the other end, but started to get going in the 9th over with a boundary and two more in the following one.
Capsey had given Perry another life in the 11th over but the happiness for the RCB fans was short-lived as the all-rounder got run out a few balls later for 49. Molineux would also follow back to the pavilion soon after as the game seemed like it was slipping away from RCB.
However, Devine and Richa would start to attack the bowling, with the former taking apart Radha Yadav for two sixes and a boundary in the 15th over which went for 17 runs.
Richa would start the 16th one with a boundary and ended it with a six as RCB needed 45 off 24 balls.
The 17th over saw Shikha Pandey concede just 5 runs as the pressure once again started to pile on RCB. Marizanne Kapp, who had quiet night in Delhi, suddenly turned the game in DC’s favour with the wicket of Devine.
Wareham came in and started off with a boundary but required run-rate remained above 14 at that time. Richa got a boundary to once again get some momentum but 29 was still needed off the last two.
Richa would get a boundary off the third ball of the 19th over to once again keep the hopes high of the RCB faithful. Another boundary followed but Shikha kept her cool to get the wicket of Wareham.
But Richa started the final over with a six off Jonassen but a dot ball soon followed. Richa’s attempt to get a double would see Kasat get run-out.
The wicket-keeper got to her fifty with a six as RCB just needed 2 off the final delivery. However, Richa was run-out as DC sealed their place in the playoffs with the win. Bangalore will now need to beat MI in their final game to have a chance of making it to the playoffs.
