DC's Playoffs Scramble Meets RCB's Cruise in Vadodara

With more than half the league stage completed, Delhi Capitals find themselves just one spot above the bottom-placed UP Warriorz in the Women's Premier League. For a team that secured direct qualification to the finals as group toppers in each of the first three seasons, this is an unfamiliar position.

Despite starting the Vadodara leg with a win, the absence of Annabel Sutherland is being felt. The experiment to lengthen the batting order by including Deeya Yadav in place of Minnu Mani—hoping Shafali Verma could offer supporting overs—has yet to yield the desired result.

With only three games left in their bid for a playoff spot, DC now face the in-form and unbeaten Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a side that has already sealed qualification. Except for the tournament opener, each of RCB's victories has been a display of thumping dominance, including their eight-wicket win the last time they faced Delhi Capitals.

To strengthen their case, Pooja Vastrakar, recovering from a hamstring injury, has joined the RCB squad. With Radha Yadav strengthening her case as a batter, Vastrakar's return could lead to some tinkering with the line-up. Georgia Voll hasn't quite set the tournament on fire, and RCB's insistence on using Linsey Smith's bowling in the powerplay may find a stronger case now.

With RCB's playoff spot secured, they have the luxury to experiment. This could present an opportunity for Capitals to secure their third win of the season. Time is running out for them to even make a bid for the playoffs. The only positive is that, barring RCB, the other teams are also closely bunched in a similar traffic jam.

When: Saturday, January 24, 2026, 7:30 PM IST
Where: BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara
What to Expect: Run-scoring hasn't been easy on the slow track at Kotambi in the first three games of the Vadodara leg. There has also been some assistance for pacers early on with the new ball. Both captains believe a score above 160 would be competitive.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Pooja Vastrakar, recovered from a hamstring injury, has joined the squad. With qualification sealed, RCB could be tempted to offer gametime to the hard-hitting all-rounder. There is no update on the availability of Arundhati Reddy, who missed the last two games.
Probable XI: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (c), Georgia Voll, Gautami Naik, Richa Ghosh (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sayali Satghare/Arundhati Reddy, Lauren Bell

Delhi Capitals: Despite a winning start in Vadodara with a lengthened batting order, DC could consider bringing Minnu Mani back into the XI.
Probable XI: Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Marizanne Kapp, Deeya Yadav/Minnu Mani, Nikki Prasad, Lucy Hamilton, Sneh Rana, Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma

Jemimah Rodrigues, DC captain, on the Vadodara pitch: "I've played a lot on such pitches growing up. So I know how it works. Having the clarity of giving myself those 10 balls and then looking at what to do, because once you're set, it's easier to score here."

Smriti Mandhana, RCB skipper: "I think 160 plus is a good total. Anything above that is a bonus but if we aim at 160 plus, I think we'll be able to defend it with the wickets which we have."