Skipper Jemimah Rodrigues starred with a fluent 41 as Delhi Capitals crushed Gujarat Giants by seven wickets in the WPL 2026 Eliminator to seal a fourth consecutive final berth.
Delhi Capitals skipper Jemimah Rodrigues was named Player of the Match in the Eliminator of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 as DC entered their fourth straight final on the back of a comfortable seven-wicket win over Gujarat Giants in Vadodara on Tuesday.
"It is great. This final feels different. With GG, the last two games did not go our way. If you keep believing as a team, magic happens," Rodrigues said at the post-match presentation.
Chasing 169, Delhi Capitals were off to a blistering start, scoring 89 runs at the end of the seventh over. Lizelle Lee made 43 off 24 balls, with eight fours and one six. Shafali Verma was dismissed after scoring 31 off 21 balls, with seven fours.
Captain Rodrigues (41 off 23 balls), with four boundaries and one six, stitched a brilliant 68-run stand for the fourth wicket with Laura Wolvaardt, who made an unbeaten 32 off 24 balls, with two fours and one six, as Delhi chased down the target in 15.4 overs.
'Stuck to our game and played on merit'
Speaking on what has changed, he replied, "Nothing. Even our team meeting was short. We tried not to overthink. To trust ourselves. When you keep calm, things fall into place. A lot of credit goes to our bowlers. Our bowlers won us the game.
"They make my job easy as captain. One more game to go, and we keep the same plans. Today was a restoration for us. The way Shafali and Lee, if they bat that way, it is very hard as a bowling team. Glad they are on my team."
On her partnership with Laura Wolvaardt, Rodrigues said, "Did not worry too much about the score, stuck to our game and played on merit. I was doing one thing (earlier) - I was trying way too hard. Last two games, I just let go. Backed myself. Did not even practice.
"Because I was practising so hard, trying to hit every ball perfectly. In one of the interviews, I heard about a butterfly. The more desperate you are, the more it goes away. But the more you just let go, the more it comes and sits on your shoulder. Credit to Wolfie (Wolvaardt) to bat with such intent (and positivity). One more game to go. We are going to keep our plans simple. One more game to go, and then we will celebrate."
Earlier in the match, Beth Mooney's composed unbeaten half-century helped Gujarat Giants post a target of 169 runs against Delhi Capitals.
Mooney completed her second fifty of the season with a boundary in the 19th over. She remained unbeaten on 62 off 51 balls with the help of six fours.
Kashvee Gautam also made 18 runs off just 10 balls, including three fours. Henry was the standout bowler for the Capitals with three wickets. Nandani Sharma took a couple of wickets.
On the preparations before the final, Rodrigues said, "It will be super chill. Whoever wants to, can practice. But not sure many will. Just about staying mentally fresh, going out there on fifth and playing some good cricket."