WPL 2024, Match 15: Delhi Capitals Women UP Warriorz Women, Fifteenth Match - Who Said What?

UP Warriorz Women ended the four-match winning streak of Delhi Capitals Women by beating them by one run in a thrilling game on Friday, March 08 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. After opting to bat first, UP posted a good score of 138/8 in their allotted 20 overs riding on a half-century from Deepti Sharma. In reply, Delhi were bundled out for 137 as Deepti Sharma starred with the ball as well picking 4/19 in four overs.

Delhi lost their opener Shafali Verma (15 off 12) early in the chase in the fourth over. However, captain Meg Lanning continued her marvellous form scoring her fourth half-century of the season. Apart from her, no other batter got going but DC were still in a good position to win the game needing 15 to win off the last two overs having six wickets in hand.

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However, in a dramatic turnaround, UP managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat taking six wickets in the last two overs and winning the game by one run.Earlier in the day, after opting to bat first, UP lost their opener Kiran Navgire (5 off 5) in the second over itself who lost her stumps against Titas Sadhu.

After the early blow, Alyssa Healy (29 off 30) and Deepti Sharma added 46 runs for the second wicket off 45 balls to stabilize the innings. Their partnership was brought to an end by Alice Capsey who sent Healy back into the pavilion.

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After a good partnership, UP suffered a dramatic collapse as Tahlia McGrath (3 off 4), Grace Harris (14 off 12), Shweta Sehrawat (4 off 3) and Poonam Khemnar (1 off 4) departed cheaply. However, Deepti Sharma held one end and scored the second consecutive fifty of the season guiding her team to a total of 138/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

Here’s what the two captains and the Player of the Match said after the game:

Winning Captain, Alyssa Healy, UP Warriorz, said:

I thought… this is exactly cricket, anything can happen. Great game of cricket, what a showcase for our sport on International Women’s Day. Probably didn’t get the partnerships we were after. We spoke about 150 being a competitive total. I think Deepti did really well but we needed a few more partnerships. Only when we got that last wicket did we feel we'd truly won it. When 2 of 2 are needed and you need 1 wicket, you’re never really sure. Can’t fault the girls irrespective of the result, proud of their effort. We held our nerve when we needed to and got the job done. Really proud of the girls.

Losing Captain, Meg Lanning, Delhi Capitals Women said:

Disappointed not to win, felt like we got into a pretty good position to get it done. Full credit to the Warriorz. My wicket probably played a little part in it, I was the set batter and probably had to take it a little deeper, my wicket put pressure on the rest of us. Probably didn’t play the conditions as well as we could have but as a captain, I shouldn’t have put my team in that position. We certainly did a lot of things right, think we did well to pull them back towards the end and also batted pretty well. Goes to show that if you can’t string it together for 40 overs it’s hard to win.

Player of the Match, Deepti Sharma, UP Warriorz, said:

I backed my strengths and shots. Was thinking of what shots were on and was reading the situation. Was thinking of how we can bowl dots to the set batters, I like challenges when I’m bowling as well. (On being asked if she knew she picked up a hat-trick) No, I didn’t know. I always stay ready for a caught and bowled. Was always thinking of how we can get the game back. Want to keep the process the same, there is no limit to learning and I want to keep learning.