Vadodara witnessed a nail-biting encounter at the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025: a last-ball thriller between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians. Delhi chased down a challenging 165, winning by two wickets in a match that kept everyone on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Mumbai, batting first, struggled to build momentum and were eventually bowled out for 164 in 19.1 overs. Annabel Sutherland (3/34) and Shikha Pandey (2/14) were the chief architects of Delhi's disciplined bowling performance, picking up crucial wickets at regular intervals. Despite the clatter of wickets around her, Nat Sciver-Brunt stood tall, anchoring the Mumbai innings with a magnificent unbeaten 80 off 59 balls, studded with 13 boundaries. Her valiant effort, however, couldn't prevent Mumbai from falling short of a bigger total.
Delhi's chase began with a flurry of boundaries. Shafali Verma, known for her aggressive style, came out smashing the Mumbai bowlers to all parts of the ground. She started with a massive six and followed it up with four consecutive fours. It looked like Delhi would cruise to victory, but Mumbai had other plans. Hayley Matthews struck a crucial blow, dismissing Shafali for a quickfire 43 off just 18 balls. Soon after, Shabnim Ismail rattled Meg Lanning's stumps, leaving Delhi at 60/2.
Mumbai continued to chip away at the Delhi batting lineup. Amelia Kerr and Nat Sciver-Brunt further tightened the bowling, picking up a couple of quick wickets. Delhi were in a precarious position at 76/4. Just when it seemed like Mumbai had the upper hand, Alice Capsey and Niki Prasad forged a crucial partnership, adding 33 runs and steadying the ship. However, Capsey's dismissal brought Sarah Bryce to the crease, and she played a game-changing cameo of 21 runs off just 10 balls, injecting much-needed momentum into the Delhi chase.
With Bryce's dismissal in the 18th over, the tension reached fever pitch. Niki Prasad took charge, bringing Delhi tantalizingly close to victory. Two runs were needed off the final two balls. A wicket fell on the penultimate ball, making any result possible. But Arundhati Reddy kept her cool under pressure and completed a diving run on the last ball, securing a thrilling win for Delhi.
The match was a rollercoaster ride, with momentum swinging back and forth. Shafali's initial onslaught, followed by Mumbai's fightback and Bryce's crucial cameo, kept the excitement alive until the very last ball. Niki Prasad's composed innings under pressure and Arundhati Reddy's final dash sealed the deal for Delhi.
This thrilling encounter between Delhi and Mumbai showcased the high-octane action and close finishes that the WPL promises to deliver. It was a fitting start to what promises to be an exciting tournament, leaving fans craving for more such edge-of-the-seat thrillers.
