Delhi Capitals (DC) secured their spot in the playoffs of WPL 2026 after a thrilling win over UP Warriorz (UPW) in the DC vs UP league match by 5 wickets.
Although DC were chasing a relatively small target of 123, they came close to losing after a mid-game collapse before their captain Jemimah Rodrigues took charge and scored 34, knocking Mumbai Indians out of the playoff spots as well. DC are the only team to have qualified for the playoffs in all four seasons of WPL.
UP Warriorz Knocked Out Despite Early Control
DC had already done half the work by limiting UPW to 122 for 8, a score that dashed any hopes UPW may have had of qualification. UPW required a large margin of victory, but Delhi’s bowling ensured that never happened. But what seemed like a straightforward chase in the DC vs UP match quickly became an interesting one.
Late Collapse Turns Simple Chase Into Thriller
But from a comfortable position of 40 runs required off 48 balls with nine wickets in hand, DC strangely lost three wickets for four runs, which came as an invitation to pressure and momentarily lifted the hopes of UPW, as well as the playoff chances of Mumbai Indians.
- Shafali Verma struggled to get going and was out attempting a pull
- Marizanne Kapp got out trying to hit the ball over the infield
- Chinelle Henry holed out cheaply to Deepti Sharma
The chase suddenly became anything but straightforward.
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Jemimah Rodrigues Holds Her Nerve
Jemimah Rodrigues, the captain, was a towering figure when it mattered most in the DC vs UP match. She rotated the strike perfectly, picked out the gaps with ease, and eased the pressure with some crucial boundaries.
Her key contributions were:
- A sweep off midwicket against Deepti Sharma
- A lofted inside-out drive down the leg side off Asha Sobhana
- Rodrigues remained unbeaten on 34 off 18 balls as DC eased into the playoffs.
Wolvaardt’s Knock Sets the Platform
Earlier, Laura Wolvaardt played a vital role in arranging the chase with a composed 47 off 36 deliveries. Although she was lucky at times, as she got a few dropped catches, she made the most of it once she settled, hitting four boundaries in an over to put DC in a commanding position before getting out.
Early Wickets Put UPW on the Back Foot
In the first innings of DC vs UP, UPW never really recovered from the initial shocks. Chinelle Henry struck immediately, getting Meg Lanning out for a first-ball duck, while Kapp’s probing over added to the pressure. Although she gave away more runs than usual, with a higher economy rate, Kapp’s influence was critical in the following ways:
- Two crucial wickets
- Ten dot balls
- Releasing pressure in the powerplay
UPW was reduced to five wickets down within the first ten overs.
Late Cameos Give UPW a Fighting Total
The UPW innings was salvaged by some crucial cameos:
- Simran Shaikh displayed some aggressive intent with sweeps and creative strokeplay
- Shikha Pandey provided some late thrust with 23 off 13 balls*
An unbeaten partnership between Pandey and Sophie Ecclestone helped the UPW cross 120, which seemed a distant possibility when they were 76 for 7.
DC vs UP: Key Takeaways
- DC displayed composure under pressure to make the cut for the playoffs
- Leadership by Rodrigues made all the difference
- The spinners from UPW caused late drama but did not have enough to defend
- Mumbai Indians were knocked out due to the win by DC
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