Shafali Verma delivered a sensational unbeaten knock of 80 runs off just 43 balls, guiding Delhi Capitals (DC) to a dominant nine-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their Women’s Premier League (WPL) clash on Saturday. This emphatic win not only secured DC’s place in the playoffs as the first team to qualify this season but also extended RCB’s losing streak to four consecutive matches.
Batting first, RCB posted a competitive total of 147/5, thanks to another stellar performance by Ellyse Perry, who remained not out on 60 off 47 balls. This was her fourth fifty of the season, and the Australian all-rounder became the leading run-scorer in WPL history, surpassing Meg Lanning’s tally of 847 runs. Perry has now accumulated 895 runs in 23 matches at a remarkable average of 63.92.
Chasing 148, DC's batters Shafali (80 not out) and Jess Jonassen (61 not out) made light work of the target, stitching together an unbeaten 145-run partnership for the second wicket. Their aggressive stroke play ensured DC reached the target with nine wickets in hand and 4.5 overs to spare, cementing their position at the top of the WPL points table with 10 points from seven games (five wins, two losses).
Shafali was in sublime touch, smashing eight fours and four sixes, bringing up her first fifty of the season in just 30 balls. Notably, she had fallen in the 40s three times earlier in the tournament. She reached her milestone with a stunning six-over cover off Georgia Wareham in the 13th over.
Jonassen provided solid support with her 61 off 38 balls, featuring nine boundaries and a six. The experienced Australian all-rounder registered her second half-century of the season, ensuring DC's chase remained on track without any hiccups.
Earlier in the match, RCB had a rocky start with captain Smriti Mandhana departing for just 8 runs. Perry, however, anchored the innings, forging two crucial partnerships—44 runs with England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge (21 off 18 balls) and a 68-run stand with India’s Raghvi Bisht (33 off 32 balls, two sixes)—to push RCB to a respectable total.
Among the DC bowlers, Shikha Pandey (2/28) and Nallapureddy Charani (2/28) were the standout performers, while Marizanne Kapp bowled a tight spell (1/18 in four overs) with the new ball.
RCB's fourth consecutive defeat at their home ground, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, under Smriti Mandhana’s captaincy, saw them drop to fourth place in the standings, with only two wins from six matches. Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals are now well-positioned as strong contenders for the WPL title, having registered back-to-back dominant wins, including a heavy defeat of Mumbai Indians just a day earlier.
