The atmosphere was electric at Vadodara’s BCA Stadium as Delhi Capitals won the toss in their must-win WPL 2026 match against table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru, electing to chase on Saturday evening.
Captain Jemimah Rodrigues was clear on her strategy: ‘Lights will make the ball skid nicely, and dew could play a part. We’ve studied the pitch—it might keep low, but we’re prepared.’ Two tweaks in the lineup see Chinelle Henry in for Lucy Hamilton and Minnu Mani replacing the injured Deepta.
Smriti Mandhana of RCB revealed they fancied bowling too, but wind might keep dew at bay. ‘Batting first suits us today,’ she said post-toss. Aru returns to fitness, benching Prema.
Playoffs loom large with three matches remaining. RCB’s flawless 5-0 record and 10 points make them favorites, while DC’s 2-3 tally has them in fourth, fighting for survival. Historically dominant, DC has faltered this season in both departments.
Points table heats up: Gujarat Giants second with three wins from six; Mumbai Indians third, UP Warriors fifth—all vying for top-four spots.
RCB XI: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (capt), Georgia Voll, Gautami Naik, Richa Ghosh (keeper), Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Sayali Satghare, Lauren Bell.
DC XI: Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee (keeper), Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (capt), Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shri Charani, Nandani Sharma.
This battle pits experience against form—can DC halt RCB’s rampage and reignite their playoff dreams?
