Gujarat Giants held their nerve to secure a thrilling three-run victory over Delhi Capitals in the TATA WPL 2026, surging back into second place on the points table. Mithali Raj and Katey Martin analysed the sequence of events that unfolded, heaping praise on the collective performance of the home team in Vadodara.
Mithali Raj elaborated on Gujarat Giants’ win:
“I think without experience, Gujarat Giants would have faltered. But they’ve now registered two back-to-back victories in the reverse fixture and again in this game. Sophie Devine used all her experience in that final over. At the same time, the way Niki Prasad carried Delhi Capitals’ batting after the 10-over mark, along with her partnership with Sneh Rana, almost won the game for Delhi. What’s important to understand is that in those final overs, Delhi Capitals perhaps needed a bit more luck, because in the reverse fixture as well, they’ve lost by very fine margins.”
On the partnership between Delhi Capitals’ Niki Prasad and Sneh Rana:
“None of us saw that partnership coming. After losing the top order, everyone felt the match was pretty much done and dusted for Delhi Capitals. Then Niki Prasad came in; she’d only had two innings this season, with a highest score of 12, but she played such a mature knock in this game. She showed nerves of steel, especially in a situation like this, alongside Sneh Rana. Sneh is a very gritty cricketer who picked the right moments to go for the big shots, hitting crucial sixes and straight boundaries.”
On Beth Mooney’s knock:
“What Beth Mooney did really well was start off with singles. She ran hard and took her time before finding the boundaries. Her partnership with Anushka Sharma was vital. Anushka was the dominant partner, scoring freely, while Beth anchored the other end. Once Anushka was dismissed, Beth took on the responsibility and built the innings, eventually scoring a crucial fifty. She used her footwork well against the spinners and played confidently off the backfoot, which helped her register her first half-century of the season at the right time for Gujarat Giants.”
Katey Martin explained the final over that swung the match towards Gujarat Giants:
“What an intriguing final over it was! It was full of drama! Sophie’s first thought was whether she should follow the batter. With the offside field up, she was thinking about not giving too much room, adjusting her pace and angles, even the backhand. She was outstanding. When Delhi needed five off three and Sneh Rana went for the big shot, getting caught on the boundary, was absolutely critical. Sophie clearly lined her up, knowing that option was coming. In T20 cricket, those tiny moments make all the difference. You might say there was a bit of luck involved, but that’s the kind of character Sophie has. It also shows the importance of experienced all-rounders who’ve been in these situations before.”
