Delhi Capitals are set to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a crucial Women's Premier League 2025 encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday. With the league stage intensifying, Delhi will be determined to grab the two important points and become the first team to qualify for the Playoffs.
Delhi currently hold the top spot in the points table after putting up a commanding display against Mumbai Indians on Friday. A win will seal their playoff fate. RCB, on the other hand, currently sit third. They started the season strong but have struggled in recent matches, losing three on the trot.
However, playing at their home ground in Bengaluru gives them a mental edge in this encounter.
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
Delhi have had the upper hand in their battles against RCB, winning four out of the six WPL encounters. However, RCB edged past DC earlier this season with an 8-wicket win, and the Capitals will be keen to settle the score with a commanding performance on Saturday.
PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Meg Lanning: Our skipper has an uncanny ability to construct an innings, shifting gears as required to stabilize or accelerate when needed. Her calm and composed presence at the top of the order is a vital cog. Her ability to rotate the strike efficiently and find gaps with precision makes her a difficult batter to contain. Added to that, her current ripe form, and she could be the difference against RCB.
Shafali Verma: Few players in world cricket can take the game away from the opposition as quickly as our Shifu. Known for her fearless strokeplay, she takes the attack to the bowlers right from the first over. Her explosive batting in the powerplay has become one of Delhi’s strengths. Her partnership with Meg has also been a silver lining. If she manages to stay longer on the crease, it would be enough to inflict damage on the RCB bowlers.
Jess Jonassen: JJ has been a revelation in the last two matches, bagging the Player of the Match award in both the games. Her bowling has been top-class. As a left-arm spinner, she has been crucial to get wickets in the middle overs. On the batting front as well, her ability is beyond par. Whether at No.3 or down the order, she is someone Delhi can bank on to play a match-winning knock.
KEY PLAYER BATTLES
Meg Lanning vs. Georgia Wareham: This will be a battle of experience versus craft. Lanning’s strength lies in her ability to read the game well, rotate strike efficiently, and punish loose deliveries with precision. However, Wareham’s ability to generate turn and vary her pace can make life difficult for the skipper.
Shafali Verma vs. Renuka Singh: A classic battle between raw power and disciplined swing bowling, Shafali Verma’s aggressive batting will be up against Renuka Singh Thakur’s ability to move the ball and exploit early conditions. If Shafali finds her groove early, she will have a task cut out for Renuka.
Marizanne Kapp vs. Ellyse Perry: This contest will feature two of the best all-rounders in women’s cricket. With the ball, Kapp’s ability to swing the new ball and generate pace makes her a constant threat in the powerplay. On the other hand, Perry is a composed and technically sound batter who thrives under pressure.
DELHI CAPITALS FULL SQUAD
Meg Lanning (C), Alice Capsey, Sarah Bryce, Annabel Sutherland, Minnu Mani, Shafali Verma, Arundhati Reddy, N Charani, Shikha Pandey, Jemimah Rodrigues, Nandini Kashyap, Sneha Deepthi, Jess Jonassen, Niki Prasad, Taniyaa Bhatia, Marchizanne Kapp, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu.
WHERE AND WHEN TO WATCH
Catch all the action LIVE on Star Sports Network or watch the LIVE streaming on JioHotstar from 7:30 PM onwards.
