The big-hitting Shafali Verma led the way in which with a blazing 37-ball 71 as a dominant Delhi Capitals secured direct qualification into the ultimate of the Women’s Premier League with a seven-wicket hammering of Gujarat Giants right here on Wednesday.
Shafali Verma smashes 71 as DC safe direct qualification into WPL closing
Table-toppers Delhi Capitals entered the sport seeking to bag a direct spot within the closing and as soon as their bowlers restricted Giants to 126 for 9 with a disciplined present on the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the hosts inched nearer to realising their objective.
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In the ultimate on Sunday, the Capitals will play the winner of the eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
As she is wont to, Shafali launched right into a furry of boundaries, together with hitting as many as 5 sixes and 7 fours, to assist her facet full the chase of 127 with out a lot ado.
DC completed the sport with as many as 41 balls remaining.
Shafali reached her fifty in simply 28 balls. She received to the landmark with a 4 over further cowl off Mannat Kashyap.
The duo of Shafali and Jemimah Rodrigues (38 not out) then bludgeoned Meghna Singh for 20 runs, and Ashleigh Gardner was additionally carted for 28 runs in two overs.
Earlier, Delhi Capitals’ bowlers produced a wonderful effort to limit Gujarat Giants to a modest complete.
If it was not for Bharati Fulmali’s 36-ball 42 and Kathryn Bryce’s unbeaten 28, the Giants would have completed with a a lot decrease complete.
South African veteran Marizanne Kapp led the way in which with wonderful figures of two/17 in 4 overs, bowling superbly within the powerplay, whereas there have been additionally two wickets apiece for Shikha Pandey and Minnu Mani.
Gugarat Giants’ choice to bat first on profitable the toss backfired as they discovered themselves in a spot of hassle at 12/2 within the fourth over, together with shedding the massive wicket of skipper Beth Mooney for a duck to South African all-rounder Kapp within the match’s very first over.
Mooney formed as much as flick a size supply on the leg stump however the ball brushed previous her thigh pad earlier than occurring to disturb the leg and center stump.
Dayalan Hemalatha (4) was the following batter to depart, bowled by Jess Jonassen as Delhi Capitals rejoiced the early success.
Another setback awaited the Giants as they misplaced Laura Wolvaardt (7), the profitable bowler being Kapp once more because the guests slumped to 16 for 3 to start with of the fifth over.
Unable to pressure the tempo, Wolvaardt was below strain and succumbed within the face of some disciplined bowling by Kapp.
Experienced Australian participant Ashleigh Gardner (12) and Phoebe Litchfield (21) appeared to regular the innings however having added 23 runs for the fourth wicket, the previous perished to a beautiful flighted supply from off-spinner Mani.
The Giants had been tottering at 39 for 4 within the ninth over and the state of affairs grew to become worse for them when Radha Yadav pulled off a pleasant catch to ship again Litchfield off the bowling of Mani.
At 48 for 5 within the eleventh over, the Giants had been in a hopeless state of affairs however Fulmali and Kathryn Bryce placed on 68 runs to assist the facet cross 120 and provides their bowlers one thing to defend.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com