Delhi Capitals Vs Gujarat Giants, WPL 2024: Shafali Verma Stars As DCW Win By 7 Wickets - As It Happened

Delhi Capitals Women have defeated Gujarat Giants by seven wickets to directly qualify for the WPL 2024 final at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Gujarat Giants put up a poor batting display as DCW bowlers ran the show and restricted them for 126/9. In reply, Shafali Verma's 71 along with Jemimah Rodrigues' 38 helped them reach the target in a canter and also qualify for the fina. Follow the match highlights of the DC-W Vs GGT match in WPL 2024, here. (Streaming | Full Coverage | Schedule And Points Table)

Gujarat Giants have won the toss and have opted to bat

Teams:

Gujarat Giants (Playing XI): Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney(w/c), Dayalan Hemalatha, Phoebe Litchfield, Ashleigh Gardner, Bharati Fulmali, Kathryn Bryce, Tanuja Kanwar, Shabnam Md Shakil, Meghna Singh, Mannat Kashyap

Delhi Capitals Women (Playing XI): Meg Lanning(c), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Alice Capsey, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Taniya Bhatia(w), Shikha Pandey, Minnu Mani

That's a huge breakthrough as the in-form Mooney falls - a little unfortunate, but this dismissal sums up GG's season - on a decent length and shaping back into the left-hander, Mooney shuffled over on the flick and missed, brushing the back-thigh and rolling back to smash the leg-stump. The zing bails light up, and Mooney takes off.

GGT - 1/1 (1)

On a decent length and just outside off, Wolvaardt came down the pitch on the drive, but she gets it straight off the cue-end and lobs a routine catch to Shafali, who is at the outside of the circle at mid-off.

GGT - 21/3 (5)

After three early wickets, Gujarat Giants were in a dire situation but Ashleigh Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield took the opportunity with both hands and are taking the game forward.

GGT - 38/3 (8)

Minnu Mani came to the attack in the 9th over and gave just one run from it. She also dismissed the set batter Ashleigh Gardner on the fourth delivery of the over. Bharati Fulmali is the new batter at the crease.

GGT - 39/4 (9)

Bharati Fulmali and the new batter Kathryn Bryce trying hard to put up a partnership after half of the team is back in the pavilion. Both batters are making runs whenever they get any bad ball.

GGT - 82/5 (15)

Bharat Fulmali and Kathryn Bryce completed a 50-run partnership and have taken their team to a respectable score with three overs still remaining.

GGT - 99/5 (17)

Bharati Fulmali and Kathryn Bryce made crucial runs at the end to take the Gujarat Giants to a respectable score. Now, Delhi Capitals need 127 runs to win the match.

GGT - 126/9 (20)

Brief Score: GGT - 126/9 (20)

Bharati Fulmali - 42 (36), Kathryn Bryce - 28 (22) | Marizanne Kapp: (4-0-17-2)

 To be honest, it wasn't coming up great, but happy to have the wickets tonight. It's a bit sticky, but it's a good wicket and hopefully our batters will chase the score down. The swing was a bit more tonight, probably the same amount as our game against UIP Warriorz, which I was disappointed to miss out on. I thought we were a bit sloppy in the field and conceded 10-15 runs more. We know this might not be an easy chase, but backing our batters to do it.

Delhi batters will be quite upbeat in chasing down a paltry total of 127 despite some favourable bowling conditions at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Delhi Capitals lost their skipper Meg Lanning via a run-out and then Alice Capsey as the home side went two down in an over to Gujarat Giants.

GGT 126/9 (20 overs)

DCW 39/2 (5 overs)

Shafali Verma along with her Indian national teammate Jemimah Rodrigues are in no mood to give away dot deliveries as they have bludgeoned the GGT bowlers to inch ever-so closer to victory.

GGT 126/9 (20 overs)

DCW 82/2 (10 overs)

Delhi Capitals have chased down the target of 127 in a canter and moreover, they have directly qualified for the final. Shafali Verma (71) and Jemimah Rodrigues (38 not out) starred with the bat to take their side home and despite some early hic-cups, the last year's runners-up are looking quite a side going into the final.

GGT 126/9 (20 overs)

DCW 135/3 (13.1 overs)

We are all ecstatic. The work done by the think tank to get the balance in the side was really good. The way Minu bowled today as a spinner was brilliant. We have great comradery, the bowlers keep talking to each other throughout the innings on what plans to have, and what kind of lengths are working on this wicket. The players we have are so experienced, we are learning from there. We bounce ideas off each other, and talk to each other on how to execute our plans. We are really happy when Shafali is batting that way, the bowlers inside of us however feel bad, we feel for the bowlers out there in the middle.

We were outplayed in all facets. Didn't get a great start with the bat and then let the runs come quickly when we bowled. We do have some positives to take back, some individual performances which allowed us to be competitive at times during the tournament. We probably needed a bowler and an all-rounder, we lost Kashvee Gautam, Mannat showed what she could do, some batters like Laura came up well. She is a great kid, always has a smile on her face (on Shabnam Shakil), she has a great future and I'm not sure I'd like to face her in the nets. Disappointment (on her analysis of the season), might've to look for a next captain, it's been hard on me. We have got a great coach and an excellent management, we have a few pieces and will need to string them together much better in the next season.

 It wasn't as close as the earlier game, less stressful. (On Shafali) When she plays like that, she makes it look very easy. So much fun to watch her dominate like that. I think we've had good patches in all games, we know our plans and our execution is getting better. We've been excellent right from the start, despite losing that first game. T20 is always a close game, it will be a great semi-final and we'll be watching eagerly. Either of those two sides (RCB and MI), it will be a great contest, there are some great match winners in both sides.

I have always thought of trying to play straight, today also that was the plan. Whenever the bowlers bowled well, I respected those deliveries. If anything was in my range, I would go for it. I backed my strengths and it worked today. Was in good touch today, wanted to stay till the end. Disappointed I couldn't end the innings today. I always try to do my best in fielding as well, stop as many runs as possible. That's been a crucial part of our management, to focus on our fielding and restrict teams to as few runs as possible.

The Capitals will now be wait for the winner from the knockout game between Mumbai Indians and RCB. Till then, bye-bye!