In the final league-stage match of WPL 2026, Delhi Capitals Women and UP Warriorz Women faced off in a high-stakes encounter. Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women had already secured a direct place in the final, topping the points table with 12 points, while Gujarat Giants Women claimed a spot in the Eliminator. This made the clash between DCW and UPW a must-win contest for the final playoff berth.
Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues won the toss and opted to bowl first against Meg Lanning-led UP Warriorz. Delhi Capitals went into the match with an unchanged playing XI. UP Warriorz, meanwhile, made three changes, bringing in Shipra Giri, Deandra Dottin, and Charli Knott in place of Shweta, Amy Jones, and Chloe Tryon.
Chinelle Henry gave Delhi Capitals a dream start by dismissing Meg Lanning on the very first ball of the innings. UP Warriorz struggled to recover as Charli Knott fell in the fourth over and Deepti Sharma departed in the sixth. By the end of the powerplay, UP Warriorz were reeling at 36 for 3.
The wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals, with UP Warriorz batters failing to convert their starts into substantial scores. As a result, Meg Lanning’s side could only manage 122 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their 20 overs. Marizanne Kapp was the standout performer with the ball, claiming three wickets for Delhi Capitals.
In reply, Delhi Capitals Women lost opener Lizelle Lee early, with her dismissal coming in the second over. Shafali Verma then stitched together a crucial 83-run partnership for the second wicket with Laura Wolvaardt. Wolvaardt eventually fell to Deepti Sharma after a well-compiled 47.
Delhi Capitals suffered a brief collapse thereafter, losing the wickets of Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, and Chinelle Henry in quick succession. Captain Jemimah Rodrigues then took charge, playing a blistering knock of 34 off 18 balls to guide Delhi Capitals to the target in the 19th over and seal a place in the playoffs. Marizanne Kapp was named Player of the Match for her all-round performance.
With this win, Delhi Capitals also knocked Mumbai Indians Women out of the tournament, marking the first time MI-W have failed to qualify for the playoffs in WPL history.
Delhi Capitals Women will now face Gujarat Giants Women in the Eliminator on February 3.
