DC vs GG, WPL 2026 Highlights: Sophie Devine delivers under pressure; Giants survive late scare to win by four runs

Has Beth Mooney edged it? There wasn't much confidence in the appeal from Kapp and Co., still they have decided to go upstairs. Nothing on the UltraEdge and Delhi Capitals loses a review early in the contest.

Marizanne Kapp to Beth Mooney, Surely there was some sound when the ball passed the edge! Back of a length, angling it away from the left-hander. Beth Mooney looks to punch it away but gets beaten on the outside edge. Delhi Capitals appeals loudly for caught behind but the umpire says nothing. Jemimah Rodrigues opts for the review, but the UltraEdge shows no Bat Involvement. 

Marizanne Kapp to Beth Mooney, FOUR! Excellent start from Beth Mooney! Marizanne Kapp scoots from over the wicket and pitches it fuller, on leg, Beth Mooney hangs back and flicks it to beat the right of the square leg fielder for four runs. First boundary of the inning on the first ball of the game and Beth Mooney is off the mark in style. 

We are all set for the start of the Women's Premier League clash between the Delhi Capitals and the Gujarat Giants. The atmosphere at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy is electric. The Gujarat opening pair of Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney make their way to the middle. They will face the formidable challenge of Marizanne Kapp, who is ready to open the bowling attack for the Delhi Capitals, aiming to strike a crucial early blow in this exciting contest. 

Beth Mooney, GG Women's player, is up for a quick chat. Beth expressed her enthusiasm for the favorable batting conditions in India and her hope for personal success in the upcoming T20 match. She highlighted the team's strong balance, featuring a mix of seamers and spinners and good overall depth. Mooney also stressed the importance of early wins to build crucial momentum for securing a spot in the finals. Additionally, she praised Ash Gardner's leadership and the valuable support provided by Sophie Devine this season, expressing confidence in their combined ability to lead the team effectively.

Laura Wolvaardt, the DC Women's player, is up for a chat. Laura reflected on the team's preparation and performance, stating that they had a good buildup to the game after a week in Goa. Despite a less-than-ideal start the previous day, Wolvaardt sounded optimistic, citing the team's culture and her own role as a player. She expressed her excitement about batting alongside aggressive players like Lizelle Lee and Shafali, acknowledging the team's strong batting lineup. Wolvaardt also laughed about her own batting style, admitting she tries to hit the ball hard like her teammates but often gets into trouble. She remained unfazed by the previous day's result, expecting the team to bounce back strongly. On the pitch, Wolvaardt noted it was the same one used in the Cricket World Cup Final 2025, and while it was a bit surreal returning to the venue, she acknowledged it was a nice place to play cricket.

Ashleigh Gardner, captain of the Gujarat Giants, expressed her satisfaction with starting the competition with a win, viewing it as an opportunity for learning as well as success. She highlighted how various team members contributed at different crucial moments, which she found pleasing as a leader. Gardner also praised the performance of new players in the WPL, specifically mentioning Anushka for her talented debut and significant partnership contribution. The captain noted that Anushka should gain considerable confidence from her performance. Finally, Gardner confirmed that the team would field an unchanged lineup for the upcoming match.

Jemimah Rodrigues, skipper of Delhi Capitals, has won the toss and has informed her team will look to bowl first, anticipating that the dew will factor in later and that the stadium conditions typically favour teams chasing a total. She stressed the importance of learning from past results, even when they don't go the team's way, and moving forward with better preparation. She concluded by confirming they will field an unchanged playing XI for the match.

Gujarat Giants (Playing XI) - Beth Mooney (WK), Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner (C), Georgia Wareham, Bharti Fulmali, Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwer, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI) - Lizelle Lee (WK), Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (C), Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma.

TOSS - Delhi Capitals have won the coin flip and their skipper, Jemimah Rodrigues, have elected to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - In their pitch report for the match, Charles Dagnall and Katey Martin highlighted that the game would be played on Pitch 5, which previously hosted India's World Cup victory. Dagnall noted the dimensions of the field are 66m straight and 56m square and indicated the toss would be an interesting decision for captains, challenging the usual WPL trend of chasing, as two of the previous three games were won batting first. Martin added that the pitch is expected to play similarly to the previous night, improving for batters as the evening progresses with the presence of dew. She described it as a batter's paradise in recent games, although pacers have found success in the Powerplay by bowling a full length, achieving an economy rate of just six runs per over by utilizing swing and hitting the stumps. Post-powerplay, batters have managed a high strike rate of over 161 across most areas of the pitch.