Deepti Sharma is still searching for her first win as the UP Warriorz (UPW) captain. They lost to Delhi Capitals (DC) by seven wickets at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
Annabel Sutherland won the Player of the Match award for her all-round brilliance, but the game had plenty of drama, with UPW getting several chances to win in the last five overs.
Chasing 167, skipper Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma gave DC a strong start with a 65-run opening partnership. Shafali once again fell to a spinner while attempting a shot to deep mid-wicket, as Deepti dismissed her for 26 off 16 balls.
Jemimah Rodrigues, batting at No. 3, was out for a two-ball duck. However, Lanning continued to shine, scoring 69 off 49 balls before falling to Grace Harris.
With five overs left, Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp were at the crease, and DC needed 47 runs with seven wickets in hand. Two balls into the next over, Tahlia McGrath created an opportunity when Sutherland mistimed a lofted shot. It looked like an easy catch for Sophie Ecclestone, but she surprisingly dropped it, leaving McGrath visibly frustrated.
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DC got another lifeline on the last ball of the 19th over when substitute fielder Alana King failed to take a catch that could have dismissed Kapp. In the final over, UPW had to defend 11 runs, with McGrath given the responsibility. She conceded boundaries on the second and third deliveries, but the fielding could have been sharper.
There also seemed to be a lack of communication between the fielders trying to stop the boundaries. On the fifth ball, when Kapp ran for the match-winning single, UPW had another chance to delay the win, but McGrath failed to collect the throw cleanly and dislodge the bails.
Earlier, for UPW, Kiran Navgire (51 off 27), Shweta Sehrawat (37 off 33), and Chinelle Henry (33* off 15) were the main scorers as the team posted 166/7. Henry, playing her first match, justified her place in the XI ahead of Alana. Rajeshwari Gayakwad also returned to the line-up for Deepti’s side.
For DC, Sarah Bryce was impressive behind the stumps. Youngster Niki Prasad also made a comeback but did not get a chance to bat. With this win, DC moved to four points from three games. UPW are yet to open their account after two matches. The WPL action now shifts to Bengaluru.
Also Read: When UP Warriorz snatched victory from the Jaws of Defeat against DC in WPL 2024