Shafali Verma’s explosive 80 not out propelled Delhi Capitals to a dominant nine-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, securing their place in the Women’s Premier League knockouts on Saturday. Defending champions RCB suffered their fourth consecutive defeat at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, despite Ellyse Perry’s resilient 60 not out that guided them to a competitive 147/5. However, Delhi’s batters made light work of the chase, with Shafali and Jess Jonassen (61 not out) leading the charge.
Needing 148 to win, DC comfortably reached the target with 4.5 overs to spare, consolidating their top spot on the WPL table with 10 points from seven matches, including five wins and two losses. They also became the first team to qualify for the playoffs. Shafali, who had narrowly missed out on fifties multiple times this season, finally reached the milestone in style. The young opener smashed an unbeaten 80 off just 43 balls, peppering the field with four sixes and eight fours. She reached her half-century off 30 balls with a powerful six over cover off Georgia Wareham. Jonassen, too, played a stellar supporting role, registering her second fifty of the season with a 38-ball 61, which included nine fours and a six.
This emphatic win came on the heels of another dominant performance, where DC had outclassed Mumbai Indians just a day earlier. Meanwhile, RCB’s struggles continued as they slipped to fourth place with only two wins in six matches. Earlier, Perry once again stood tall for RCB, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 60 off 47 balls. Her knock not only steadied the innings after skipper Smriti Mandhana’s early dismissal (8) but also etched her name in the WPL record books. Perry became the tournament’s all-time highest run-scorer with 895 runs in 23 matches at an average of 63.92, surpassing Meg Lanning’s 847 runs in 25 matches. She also emerged as the leading run-getter in this year’s edition, amassing 295 runs in six matches at an astonishing average of 98.33.
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The Australian star stitched together crucial partnerships—44 runs with Danni Wyatt-Hodge (21 off 18) for the second wicket and 68 runs with Raghvi Bisht (33 off 32) to propel RCB to a respectable total. However, Delhi’s bowlers ensured that RCB’s total remained within reach. Shikha Pandey (2/28) and Nallapureddy Charani (2/28) delivered impactful spells, while Marizanne Kapp (1/18) continued to impress with the new ball. With this resounding victory, Delhi Capitals reaffirmed their title credentials, while RCB faces an uphill task to keep their playoff hopes alive.
(With inputs from PTI)
