Delhi Capitals Claim First Victory in WPL 2026 Against UP Warriorz
Delhi Capitals Triumph Over UP Warriorz
Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 14: In an exciting encounter at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, the Delhi Capitals achieved a remarkable seven-wicket victory against the UP Warriorz on Wednesday.
This win marks the first for the Jemimah Rodrigues-led Delhi team in the current tournament, while the UP Warriorz continue to seek their first victory, having lost all three of their matches so far.
Chasing a target of 155 runs, Delhi Capitals got off to a strong start, thanks to a fantastic 94-run partnership between openers Shafali Verma and wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee.
Verma scored 36 runs off 32 balls, hitting six boundaries, before being dismissed. Lee, on the other hand, delivered an impressive performance, scoring 67 runs from 44 balls, which included eight fours and three sixes.
Despite a hiccup in their chase when captain Jemimah fell for 21 runs off 14 balls, Laura Wolvaardt remained composed, contributing an unbeaten 21 runs off 14 balls, including three fours, to secure the win for her team.
Earlier in the match, the UP Warriorz, still searching for their first win, batted first after being put in by Delhi Capitals, who were also looking for their initial victory in the tournament. After Kiran Navgire was dismissed without scoring, a partnership of 47 runs between Meg Lanning and Phoebe Litchfield (who scored 27 off 20 balls with five fours) helped stabilize the innings, followed by an 85-run partnership with Harleen Deol, who retired after scoring 47 runs off 36 balls with seven fours.
Delhi Capitals' bowlers excelled, with Marizanne Kapp (2/24 in four overs), Shafali Verma (2/16 in four overs), and Shree Charani (1/29) effectively limiting UP Warriorz to 154 runs for 8 wickets in their 20 overs.
During the match, UP Warriorz captain Meg Lanning achieved a significant milestone, becoming the third player to accumulate 1,000 runs in the Women’s Premier League. Lanning was the top scorer for her team, making 54 runs off 38 balls, including nine fours and a six, with a strike rate of 142.11.
In her WPL career spanning 30 matches and innings, Lanning has amassed 1,050 runs at an average of 38.88, with a strike rate of 125.74, including 10 fifties, and her highest score being 92. This season, she has scored 98 runs in three innings at an average of 32.66, with a strike rate nearing 114, including one fifty. She currently ranks as the second-highest run-scorer in WPL history.