Delhi Capitals Storm into WPL 2025 Playoffs with Dominant 9-Wicket Victory Over RCB

Meg Lanning’s Delhi Capitals became the first team to secure a playoff berth in the TATA WPL 2025, delivering a commanding nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match 14. The victory, their fifth in seven matches, solidified their position at the top of the table with 10 points, showcasing their dominance in the tournament.

The match witnessed an all-round masterclass from Delhi Capitals, as they first restricted RCB to 147/5 before Shafali Verma (80* off 43) and Jess Jonassen (61 off 38) orchestrated a stunning 146-run partnership, sealing the chase in emphatic fashion.

RCB’s Struggles Continue Despite Perry’s Lone Effort

RCB, led by Smriti Mandhana, had high hopes of defending their total, but their third consecutive home defeat left them searching for answers. Ellyse Perry, once again the lone warrior, played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 60 off 47 balls, but lacked support from her teammates, making her efforts futile.

Put into bat by Meg Lanning, RCB suffered an early blow when Shikha Pandey dismissed Mandhana, who edged one to Lanning in the slips. The early wicket handed DC an advantage, but Perry and Danni Wyatt-Hodge fought back, counterattacking the Delhi bowlers. Wyatt-Hodge smashed Jonassen for two sixes in the fifth over, while Perry ended the powerplay on a high, guiding RCB to 45/1 after six overs.

However, Marizanne Kapp’s crucial breakthrough in the 10th over saw Wyatt-Hodge depart for 21, stalling RCB’s momentum. Perry, however, remained rock-solid, reaching her fourth fifty of the season, but wickets kept falling at the other end. RCB had their chances, with Niki Prasad dropping two catches and Sarah Bryce missing a stumping, but DC’s young spinner N. Charani turned the game around with her maiden WPL wicket, dismissing Raghvi Bist and Richa Ghosh in the 17th over.

Despite Perry’s unbeaten *60, the lack of partnerships and Meg Lanning’s smart bowling changes meant that RCB could only manage 147/5, a total that looked below par against DC’s formidable batting lineup.

Shafali and Jonassen Seal a Stunning Chase for DC

Chasing 148, Delhi Capitals faced an early setback as Meg Lanning fell inside the powerplay. RCB’s pace spearhead Renuka Singh bowled a sensational wicket-maiden over, with Perry pulling off a stunning diving catch, one of the best of the season, to dismiss Lanning cheaply.

With the in-form Lanning-Verma duo broken early, RCB saw a glimmer of hope, but that was short-lived. Jess Jonassen walked in at No.3 and, alongside Shafali Verma, began the rebuild with patience and precision. DC reached 41/1 at the end of the powerplay, navigating the early overs cautiously.

RCB had a golden chance to break the stand when Georgia Wareham created a stumping opportunity, but Richa Ghosh fumbled, allowing DC to escape. That miss proved costly as Shafali and Jonassen shifted gears, launching a brutal assault on RCB’s bowling attack.

Shafali, playing with signature aggression, brought up her first fifty of the season in style, smashing a towering six off Wareham. Jonassen, thriving in her new role up the order, followed suit, reaching her second consecutive half-century. Their left-right combination dismantled RCB’s bowling attack, as the duo added 146 runs in a match-winning stand.

RCB’s bowlers struggled to maintain line and length, failing to stop DC’s momentum. In the 29th over, Jonassen departed after a well-made 61, but by then, the damage was already done. With just two runs required, Shafali fittingly sealed the win with a boundary, remaining unbeaten on 80 off 43 balls.

DC Becomes First Team to Qualify for Playoffs

With this dominant win, Delhi Capitals cemented their status as the tournament’s front-runners, becoming the first team to qualify for the WPL 2025 playoffs. Meanwhile, RCB’s campaign is now under serious threat, as they slip further down the standings with yet another disappointing defeat.

As the race for the remaining playoff spots intensifies, Delhi Capitals continue to assert their dominance, making a strong statement as title contenders in WPL 2025.