WPL 2025: Delhi Capitals secure playoff spot with dominant victory
What's the story
The Delhi Capitals (DC) have qualified for the Women's Premier League 2025 playoffs after a thumping nine-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
The match, played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, saw DC chase down a target of 148, ending at 151 for 1 in only 15.3 overs.
Shafali Verma and Jess Jonassen played a key role in the win, scoring unbeaten 80 and 61 respectively.
Here's more.
Key performances
Verma and Jonassen lead DC to victory
Verma's explosive show was the highlight of the match as the player scored an unbeaten 80 off just 43 balls. She hit four sixes and eight fours.
Jonassen also played a key role in DC's victory, supporting Verma with a brilliant 61 not out from 38 balls, including nine fours and one six.
Their efforts took DC to their second consecutive win this season.
RCB performance
RCB's struggles continue despite Perry's efforts
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) managed to post 147 for 5, thanks to Ellyse Perry's unbeaten 60 off 47 balls.
Despite Perry's strong show, which included 44 runs with Danni Wyatt-Hodge and 66 runs with Raghvi Bist, RCB faltered in the final overs.
The team scored just 28 runs and lost three wickets in the last few overs of their innings.
This is RCB's fourth consecutive home defeat this season.
Player highlights
Perry tops scoring charts despite RCB's home struggles
Perry's heroics have made her the season's leading run-scorer with 295 runs in six matches, averaging 98.33.
She also became the tournament's all-time highest run-getter with 895 runs in 23 matches.
However, RCB's captain Smriti Mandhana remains home sick, having scored just 50 runs in four innings this season.
Despite individual successes, RCB will need to regroup quickly after a disappointing home leg without a single win.
Verma
Verma slams her 6th WPL fifty
Verma's 80* was laced with 8 fours and 4 sixes. She consumed 43 balls and her strike rate was 186.05.
Notably, this follows a 28-ball 43 she hammered on Friday against Mumbai Indians.
Verma has raced to 260 runs from 7 matches this season at 43.33 (SR: 159.60). It was her maiden fifty.
Overall, she has raced to 821 runs from 25 matches at 37.31 (SR: 165.62). She slammed her sixth fifty.
Verma has 46 sixes in the tournament.
Information
Jonassen chips in for DC
Jonassen scored an unbeaten 61 from 38 balls. She struck at 160.53, hammering one six and 9 fours. Across 6 matches (4 innings), she owns 128 runs this season at 64 (50s: 2). Overall, she has slammed 273 runs from 16 innings (22 matches) at 27.30.
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Key numbers of Kapp and Pandey
Earlier, Marizanne Kapp claimed 1/18 from her 4 overs. She now owns six scalps from six matches this season at 21. Overall, she has 26 scalps in the WPL from 22 matches. Shikha Pandey took 2/24 from her 4 overs. In 25 WPL matches, she has 28 runs at 22.71.