Marizanne Kapp and Shafali Verma defeat UP Warriorz convincingly

Radha Yadav and Meg Lanning played supporting roles with the ball and bat respectively to help Delhi Capitals to their first points of the 2024 WPL.

Delhi Capitals collected their first two points in WPL 2024 by thrashing UP Warriorz by nine wickets. Marizanne Kapp's figures of 3 for 5 and Shafali Verma's unbeaten 64 were instrumental in this victory. Warriorz, who were restricted to 119 for 9, suffered their second straight defeat.

Kapp's extraordinary performance decimates the Warriorz

After four overs, including one maiden, Capitals had taken three wickets and conceded just five runs. The team couldn't have asked for a better start from their pace mainstay. Kapp continued her red-hot form from international cricket to the WPL and rattled Warriorz's top order.

In a brilliant display of swing bowling, Kapp started the first over by conceding just one run. During her second over, which was a maiden, Kapp took the wicket of Vrinda Dinesh, who chased a wide outswinger and was caught at deep third. In her third over, Tahlia McGrath was dismissed after playing down the wrong line to a back of a length delivery that went past her outside edge, taking the top of off stump. Five balls later, Kapp claimed the wicket of Warriorz captain Alyssa Healy as she miscued one to wide mid-off. Shafali contributed with a clean and superb catch.

Kapp set the tone for the Capitals by bowling four consecutive overs.

Sehrawat's score of 45 was in vain as Radha took four wickets

Warriorz lost wickets at regular intervals after being 16 for 3, eventually reaching 57 for 5 and then 85 for 6. However, Shweta Sehrawat, who was celebrating her 20th birthday, held her ground and gradually picked up the pace.  Although she was given two chances, Sehrawat played a slog-sweep off legspinner Minnu Manni for a six and followed it up with three fours off Annabel Sutherland in the 17th over.

Sehrawat was eventually dismissed by left-arm spinner Radha Yadav, who had already taken two wickets. Taniya Bhatia stumped her with a short, wide ball when she came down the track to hit, but failed to connect.

Radha cleverly varied her lengths and added one more wicket to her tally by getting rid of Sophie Ecclestone in the final over, finishing with 4 for 20.

The Shafali-Lanning show has neutralised the Warriorz

Chasing a target of 120 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was not a difficult task for Capitals, who were looking to improve their net run rate after a four-wicket defeat against Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener. Meg Lanning and Shafali's 119-run opening partnership completely dominated Warriorz, enabling Capitals to reach the target in just 14.3 overs.

Initially, Lanning rotated the strike while Shafali, who had been dismissed for 1 against Mumbai, made a strong comeback with a fifty off 36 balls. Shafali hit a boundary in every over of the powerplay, propelling Capitals to 57 for 0 by the end of the first six overs. She was particularly ruthless against McGrath, hitting two fours and a six in the sixth over. In a matter of moments, she reached 41 off 22 balls and completed her fifty with a six towards deep midwicket.

Lanning also picked up pace and reached her fifty off 42 balls in the final over of the game.

Warriorz' attack appeared one-dimensional, relying heavily on spin with McGrath as their only recognised seamer. They replaced seamer Saima Thakor with left-arm spinner Gouher Sultana, but the change did not prove to be an effective one on the night.