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England’s Alice Capsey helped send Delhi Capitals through to the final of the Women’s Premier League as her Player-of-the-Match performance fired them to a five-wicket win over UP Warriorz.
Capsey claimed 3-26 to first restrict the Warriorz to 138-6 – Alyssa Healy (36), Deepti Sharma (3) and England team-mate Sophie Ecclestone (0) all out stumped – before she then cracked 34 from 31 balls as Delhi reeled in their target with 13 balls to spare.
The Capitals, Warriorz and Mumbai Indians were already assured of play-off places prior to Tuesday’s final round of group games, but there was a straight shot through to Sunday’s final – reserved for the tournament table-toppers – to be fought over, with the other two left to battle it out for the remaining place in Friday’s eliminator match.
Mumbai applied the pressure to Delhi, and also removed the Warriorz from contention, with a four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their final group game – New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr producing a fine all-round display of her own (3-22 and 31no off 27 balls) – earlier in the day.
It left the Capitals needing victory to avoid being leapfrogged by Mumbai into the final and instead earn an eliminator rematch with the Warriorz.
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Choosing to insert the opposition after winning the toss, Capsey along with Radha Yadav (2-28) and Jess Jonassen (1-24) helped restrict the Warriorz with regular breakthroughs on a pitch that was offering plenty of turn.
Australia batting star Tahlia McGrath (58no off 32) proved tougher to dislodge, however, and whacked a couple of sixes and three boundaries in the final two overs to at least lift the Warriorz to a competitive total.
But that wasn’t accounting for her international captain, Meg Lanning, who came out and blasted 39 from 23 balls to get Delhi ahead of the rate and again move her above McGrath as the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
Shafali Verma also contributed 21 at the top of the order in a blistering opening stand of 56 inside the opening five overs.
Verma’s wicket triggered a mini wobble of three for 14 runs, but Capsey came in and steadied the ship, along with South Africa all-rounder Marizanne Kapp (34no off 31) to safely steer the Capitals into Sunday’s final.
Capsey couldn’t quite see the run-chase through to the end, however, as Ecclestone (1-25) gained revenge for having lost her wicket to her England team-mate with another stumping to even the score.
Watch the WPL Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz on Friday, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 2pm. The final between the winner of that game and Delhi Capitals will be live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 3pm on Sunday.
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