The Women’s Premier League took a turn and passed the baton to Delhi as the host city tonight. With the Arun Jaitley Stadium playing host to its first game in this edition of the tournament, apprehension over the unfamiliar conditions was an issue. Even after losing the toss and being put in to bat first, Delhi Capitals registered one of their best totals in the tournament and came out victorious against the mighty Mumbai Indians. Registering a win by 29 runs.
Meg Lanning stuns once again
Meg Lanning, hailed as one of the game’s greats, only recently announced her retirement from international cricket. She is known for her aggressive batting style and is also celebrated as one of the finest captains in the sport. Lanning has been a firepower for not just her national team in the past but has seamlessly transitioned into franchise cricket, especially with taking on the role of captain for the Delhi Capitals. The Orange Cap holder in the WPL 2023 has brought the same intensity this time also, amassing 148 runs in four matches.
Particularly tonight, Lanning once again saved the DC batting line-up from being upended after wickets kept falling at regular intervals. The skipper posted 53 runs in 38 balls, batting with a strike rate of 139.4. Her 48-run partnership with Shafali Varma and 35-run partnership with Jemimah Rodrigues ensured DC got to an imposing 192. Not to mention Shafali Varma’s electric knock of 28 runs off 12 balls with a strike rate of 233.3.
Jemimah Rodrigues charms with the bat
Jemimah Rodrigues, who was picked up by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 2.2 crore during the inaugural WPL auction, marked a significant acquisition for the team. With her stylish batting technique, Rodrigues was all set to become a key component of Delhi Capitals’ batting line-up and rightly so. At just 23 years of age, Rodrigues has amassed an impressive tally of 1,704 runs from 80 T20Is. One of her major strengths lies in her ability to adapt to various match situations, whether it be stabilising the innings or accelerating the scoring rate.
She showed her maturity on the field tonight. Having lost wickets in quick succession, Jemimah had the responsibility to make sure DC got to a respectable total. Little did MI know that she would go all guns blazing. She scored a fiery knock of 69 runs off 33 balls with a humongous strike rate of 209.9. Including eight fours and six sixes. If it weren’t for Jemimah, DC wouldn’t have scored one of their best totals in the tournament. She was also awarded the Player of the Match award.
Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen show off their magic
Marizanne Kapp was expected to be in high demand for the first edition of the WPL auction and she was. DC eventually scalped her for a whopping Rs 1.5 cr. With her all-round skills and winning spirit, Kapp brings a wealth of experience to the team. She is not just a cricketer, she is a fierce competitor who knows how to swing the ball and hit powerful shots. In the last edition of the tournament she picked up nine wickets and scored 177 runs, proving her mettle. Fast forward to the present, Kapp has been continuously evolving and contributing to the team. This time around, she has been putting her skills on display with the ball. Tonight she catalysed Delhi Capitals’ win by scalping two important wickets of Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur, the two batters who have been proven performers for MI.
On the other hand, Australian all-rounder, who initially made it to the playing XI owing to Annabel Sutherland’s absence has been scalping wickets and scoring runs left and right. Alongside Kapp, Jonassen ended the day with scalping a three-wicket haul with an economy rate of 5.25. In the last game as well, Jonassen had earned the Player of the Match award and this time around she is now, officially, the proud holder of the Purple Cap.