Devine comes clutch yet again as Giants do the double over DC

Sophie Devine (4 for 37) delivered in the final over yet again, defending nine runs to secure Gujarat Giants' thrilling three-run victory over Delhi Capitals in Vadodara. It was a sense of déjà vu for both sides, as Devine had successfully defended seven runs in the reverse fixture in Navi Mumbai. With this win, the Giants became the first team to complete a double over the Capitals in a WPL season.

The final over began with the Capitals needing nine runs after Ash Gardner's penultimate over was taken for 29. DC managed two off the first ball, followed by a single and a wide. With five required off four, Devine bowled a dot before Sneh Rana (29 off 15) holed out to deep mid-wicket. The drama continued as DC needed a boundary to win, but Niki Prasad (47 off 24) only found the hands of long-on, sealing another nail-biting victory for the Giants and pushing them up to second in the points table.

Earlier in the chase, Renuka Singh Thakur conceded 16 runs in her only over, as Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma each hit a boundary, taking DC to 26/0 in the first two overs. Verma holed out to long-on, while Lee struggled during her 20-ball 11, falling to Devine on the last ball of the PowerPlay, leaving DC at 51/2.

The Giants bowled five tight overs from overs 7 to 11, conceding only 31 runs and including the wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues, bowled by Devine. This triggered a mini-collapse, with DC slipping from 82/2 to 100/6. DC still required 70 off the last 30 balls before Prasad hit two boundaries off Gardner in a 10-run over to kickstart a turnaround.

The floodgates opened when Prasad hit four boundaries in an over off Devine, before Rana wrapped it up with a six, taking 23 off the over. The equation came down to 29 runs off two overs, and Rana brought up the 50-run stand with a six off Gardner. She followed it up with two boundaries before Prasad hit a third, leaving DC needing just nine off the final over, but it proved a step too far for the three-time finalists.

Earlier, put in to bat, Beth Mooney and Devine began well for the Giants, scoring four boundaries across the first two overs. Marizanne Kapp continued to boss the PowerPlay, bowling Devine with a nip-backer that straightened enough to beat her. Anushka Sharma and Mooney then joined hands, with the former showcasing her prowess on the big stage.

Anushka played some sublime shots, hitting five boundaries across two overs, including three off Kapp. After a backfoot punch down the ground, she successfully flicked through the onside and lofted over the covers before timing a drive through the covers, as the Giants raced to 53 in the PowerPlay—the second-highest PowerPlay score in Vadodara this season. The runs continued to flow off Anushka's willow as she hit Rana for successive boundaries.

Chinelle Henry dropped Anushka off Shree Charani, but it didn't cost DC as she holed out to deep mid-wicket off the next delivery. Kapp conceded three more fours in her final over as the Giants continued to score freely until Ashleigh Gardner holed out to Rana at long-on. Mooney reached 50 in a calculated innings off 40 balls, but Charani dismissed the ominous Georgia Wareham, who missed a sweep shot. Wickets continued to fall as Henry removed Fulmali. It got worse for the Giants as Mooney chipped one straight to mid-off. Charani castled Kashvee Gautam to pick up her fourth wicket, as the Giants collapsed from 128/3 to 139/7.

Tanuja Kanwer then played a fine cameo (21 off 11), consisting of three fours and a maximum, to take the Giants to 174/9, which proved just about enough.

Brief Scores: Gujarat Giants 174/9 in 20 overs (Beth Mooney 58, Anushka Sharma 39; Shree Charani 4-31, Chinelle Henry 2-38) beat Delhi Capitals 171/8 in 20 overs (Niki Prasad 47, Sneh Rana 29; Sophie Devine 4-37, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 3-20) by three runs.