(Cricket News) Delhi Capitals guaranteed their spot in the finals of the WPL 2024 with a dominant win over the Gujarat Giants in the last league game of second edition. They registered a 7-wicket win over the Giants and gained a direct entry into the finals with their 6th win out of their 8 games.
Opting to bat, the Giants could not make a lot out of it, managing only 126 in their 20 overs. They had a very bad start loosing the first 3 wickets for just 16 runs inside the first 5 overs. Gardener and Litchfield then tried to steady the ship, but failed in doing so, as Mani got better of Gardener to inflict the 4th blow for the Giants. Litchfield soon followed her Australian mate further reducing her team to 48/5.
Bharati Fulmali then came along with Bryce and stitched a much needed 68-run stand for the Giants to take them to 116, before the former was dismissed by the experienced Shikha Pandey in the penultimate over. The Giants only managed to add 6 more runs to their total in the last 8 balls of the innings, taking their score to 126.
Chasing a below par score, the hosts Delhi Capitals got off to a flying start scoring 31 in the first 3 overs. However, their innings faltered a bit there after, as they lost 2 quick wickets in the fourth over, being reduced to 31/2.
Shafali Verma was then joined by Jemimah Rodrigues as both the batters ensured that their team marched towards a comfortable victory. Shafali played a blinder of an innings scoring 71 off just 37 balls and was very well supported by Jemimah. They both ensured that the chase did not have any further brakes, however Shafali got dismissed in the second last ball of the chase, going for a glory shot with just 2 runs needed.
Brief scores: Gujarat Giants 126/9 in 20 overs (Bharati Fulmali 42, Kathryn Bryce 28; Minnu Mani 2-9, Marizanne Kapp 2-17) lost to Delhi Capitals 129/3 in 13.1 overs (Shafali Verma 71, Jemimah Rodrigues 38*; Tanuja Kanwar 2-20) by 7 wickets
