Devine's Midas Touch Takes Giants to Victory

Sophie Devine delivered a match-winning all-round performance, smashing 95 off 42 balls, taking 2 for 21, and defending seven runs in the final over to lead the Gujarat Giants to a thrilling four-run victory over the Delhi Capitals. Despite valiant efforts from Lizelle Lee (86) and Laura Wolvaardt (77), and a hat-trick and five-wicket haul from Nandani Sharma, the Capitals fell agonizingly short of the 210-run target.

The chase came down to 7 runs needed off the last over. Devine bowled two dot balls and dismissed Jemimah Rodrigues with the third. Marizanne Kapp managed a single, but Wolvaardt was caught at deep mid-wicket off the penultimate delivery, sealing a dramatic win for the Giants.

Capitals' Chase:
Lizelle Lee was dropped early and capitalized aggressively, powering the PowerPlay. Shafali Verma fell for 14, leaving the Capitals at 47/1 after six overs. Lee accelerated, reaching her fifty, but was dismissed by Kashvee Gautam for 86. Wolvaardt, initially playing anchor, shifted gears, hammering the spinners and reaching her half-century. Needing 29 off 12 balls, Wolvaardt and Rodrigues plundered 22 runs in the 19th over, but Devine's final-over heroics secured the win.

Giants' Innings:
Batting first, Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine provided a steady start. Devine exploded in the sixth over, hitting four consecutive sixes off Sneh Rana, taking 32 runs—the most expensive over in WPL history—and reaching her fifty off 25 balls. The Giants were 80/0 after the PowerPlay.

Shree Charani broke the 94-run partnership by dismissing Mooney, but Devine continued her assault, racing into the 90s. In pursuit of a century, she fell to Nandani Sharma for 95 off 42 balls. Ashleigh Gardner contributed a brisk 49, but the innings lost momentum. Nandani Sharma claimed a hat-trick in the final over, bowling out the Giants for 209.

Brief Scores:
Gujarat Giants 209 in 20 overs (Sophie Devine 95, Ashleigh Gardner 49; Nandani Sharma 5-33)
Delhi Capitals 205/5 in 20 overs (Lizelle Lee 86, Laura Wolvaardt 77; Sophie Devine 2-21)
Result: Gujarat Giants won by 4 runs.