What a game at DY Patil Stadium on January 11! The Women’s Premier League 2026 really kicked off with fireworks. Gujarat Giants squeezed past Delhi Capitals by just 4 runs in a nail-biter packed with runs. Sophie Devine absolutely lit up the night with a jaw-dropping 95 from just 42 balls. She smashed 7 boundaries and sent the ball flying for 8 sixes, dragging GG to a huge total of 209. And she wasn’t done. Devine grabbed 2 key wickets when GG needed them most.
Delhi Capitals almost chased it down. Lizelle Lee smashed 86 from 54 balls, and Laura Wolvaardt put up a blazing 77 off only 38. Still, even with their big knocks, DC just couldn’t cross the line. They finished at 205 for 5, handing Gujarat Giants their first win of the season.
Match Summary
Here is the complete match summary of this high-scoring thriller:
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Gujarat Giants Women Score | 209/10 (20 overs) |
| Delhi Capitals Women Score | 205/5 (20 overs) |
| Match Result | GG won by 4 runs |
| Best Batting (GG) | Sophie Devine – 95 off 42 balls (7 fours, 8 sixes) |
| Best Batting (DC) | Lizelle Lee – 86 off 54 balls (12 fours, 3 sixes) |
| Best Bowling (GG) | Sophie Devine – 2/21 in 3 overs (Econ: 7.00) |
| Best Bowling (DC) | Nandani Sharma – 5/33 in 4 overs (Econ: 8.25) |
| Player of the Match | Sophie Devine (GG) |
Gujarat Giants Innings: 209/10 in 20 Overs
The Gujarat Giants stormed out with serious intent. They owned the powerplay, tearing into the DC bowlers and racking up 80 runs without losing a wicket in just six overs. Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine made life miserable for the opposition right from ball one.
Devine was ruthless. She smashed her half-century in only 25 balls, peppering the field with six fours and three sixes. The New Zealand skipper just kept going, clearing the ropes whenever she felt like it. She finally fell for 95 off 42 balls, hammering eight huge sixes along the way, a knock that pretty much set the match on fire.
Mooney, on the other hand, played it steady, anchoring the innings with a calm 19 off 16 balls before Shree Charani got her out. Then Ashleigh Gardner took over. She didn’t waste any time, blasting 49 from 26 balls with 4 boundaries and 3 sixes. Together, the third-wicket stand powered Gujarat past 100 runs in just 8.3 overs.
But DC wasn’t done. Nandani Sharma came roaring back, grabbing five wickets for just 33 runs and sparking a late collapse. She cleaned up Kashvee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, and Renuka Singh in the final overs. Gujarat lost its last seven wickets for only 69 runs, but by then, the damage was done. They still posted a massive 209.
Delhi Capitals Chase: 205/5 in 20 Overs
Chasing 210, DC lost Shafali Verma early; Rajeshwari Gayakwad knocked her over for 14 in the powerplay. But then Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt showed up with a plan of their own. The two South Africans just flipped the script, putting DC right back in control.
Lee looked unstoppable. She smashed her way to fifty in just 33 balls, slamming 8 fours and 2 sixes. She kept going, too, finding the boundary almost at will, piling up 86 from 54 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes. Her partnership with Wolvaardt was huge, worth 90 runs, and suddenly, DC had real hope.
Wolvaardt wasn’t backing down, matching Lee with some brilliant shots of her own. She reached her half-century in 29 balls and looked all set to finish the job, scoring 77 off 38 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes, but Sophie Devine changed everything. She got Lee in the 15th over and then had Wolvaardt caught by Georgia Wareham not long after.
Jemimah Rodrigues gave it a shot, hitting a quick 15 from 9 balls. DC needed 10 from the last over. Marizanne Kapp and Sneh Rana tried, but they only managed 5. GG kept their cool and clinched a four-run win. What a finish; this one went right down to the wire.
Key Highlight: Sophie Devine’s All-Round Brilliance
The New Zealand star delivered a complete performance:
- With the bat: 95 off 42 balls (7 fours, 8 sixes) at a strike rate of 226.19
- With the ball: 2/21 in 3 overs (Econ: 7.00)
Devine powered GG to a winning score, smashing 8 sixes; no one else in the match even came close. Just when DC started looking dangerous, she came back and broke up the Lee-Wolvaardt partnership. Those two wickets she took in the middle overs flipped the game for GG.
Conclusion: What This Result Means
Gujarat Giants won 2 back-to-back games and earned 4 points in the WPL 2026 points table, a nail-biting finish. Their lineup looked deep, and Sophie Devine really stole the show when it mattered most. On the other side, DC just can’t catch a break. That’s two losses back-to-back, and after getting hammered by MI last time, this one stings too. Lee and Wolvaardt put on a show with the bat, but DC’s bowlers let things slip early and couldn’t pull it back.
Honestly, with more than 400 runs on the board, DY Patil looked like a dream pitch for batters. If you came for fireworks, you definitely got your fill. Gujarat Giants walk away pumped up, but DC need to pull themselves together and fast before their next match.
