Delhi Capitals put on a dominant performance against Mumbai Indians, winning by nine wickets and claiming the top spot in the Women's Premier League (WPL). The match played on February 28, 2025, showcased an impressive display of talent by the Capitals, particularly through their bowling attack and explosive batting.
After winning the toss, Delhi opted to field first, and it proved to be the right decision as they restricted the Mumbai Indians to just 123 runs for nine wickets. This was primarily due to the outstanding bowling efforts of Jess Jonassen, who took three wickets for 25 runs, dismantling Mumbai's batting order by claiming the key scalps of Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur, and G Kamalini.
"We wanted to put all three facets together. We’ve had patches where we’ve played well so far but not the whole package," expressed Meg Lanning, the Delhi Capitals captain, after the match, reflecting on their all-round performance. Jonassen's early breakthroughs helped prevent any formation of partnerships for the Mumbai team, which saw them struggle to find momentum.
Upfront, Mumbai could not find any rhythm, with their batting lineup crumbling under pressure. Following the dismissals of openers Yastika Bhatia and Hayley Matthews for 11 and 22 runs respectively, Sciver-Brunt and Kaur's partnership of 38 runs for the third wicket seemed promising but was cut short when Kaur fell to Jonassen's bowling, leading to more dismissals soon after. This led to the team being unable to muster any significant contribution, with contributions from other players being disappointingly minimal.
Delhi's bowling exhibited discipline, illustrated by the spectacular catch from Annabel Sutherland, who sprinted 28 meters from long-on to take what might be the catch of the tournament, dismissing Amelia Kerr. Lanning praised the catch, emphasizing teamwork and aggressive fielding. "It was incredible; we speak about wanting to attack every ball, and this catch was the epitome of our efforts on the field."
Chasing the modest target, Delhi Capitals commenced their innings with confidence, largely thanks to the formidable partnership between Lanning and Shafali Verma. They opened the innings with style, compiling 85 runs for the first wicket within just 59 balls. Shafali scored 43 runs off 28 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes before falling to Amanjot Kaur.
While Shafali's innings was explosive, Lanning remained the backbone of the chase, finishing with 60 not out from 49 balls. Her innings was characterized by precision and timing, as she struck nine boundaries throughout. Jemimah Rodrigues joined Lanning at the crease and contributed 15 runs off 10 balls, helping to steer the team to victory with 33 balls to spare.
With this win, Delhi Capitals solidified their position at the top of the WPL standings, accumulating eight points from six matches, compared to Mumbai's slip to second place with six points from five games. Addressing their net run rate was also on DC's agenda, and they successfully improved it from -0.223 to +0.201, securing their standing as they head toward the latter phases of the tournament.
Reflecting on the game, Lanning also highlighted the performance of local talent Minnu Mani, who took two wickets with figures of 3 for 15. "Special shout out to Minnu, she’s been bowling extremely well throughout the tournament. It’s been great to see the local domestic players improving all around the team," Lanning remarked. The New Delhi team will be eager to continue this momentum as they prepare to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 1.
This match not only showcased Delhi Capitals' strength as they dominated Mumbai Indians but also established their credentials as leading contenders for the WPL title this season.