DC look to tame Giants when it matters most

In a tightly-contested Women's Premier League, easy wins have been rare. Delhi Capitals slipped up twice in run chases against Gujarat Giants during the league stage, unable to counter Sophie Devine's experience.

Those losses influenced each team's path to the Eliminator. Giants secured their spot as the second-best team by beating defending champions Mumbai Indians on the final day, while Capitals had to wait until the last day of the league phase to qualify.

Now, with both teams in the same position, Capitals have the opportunity to strike at the right time and advance to their fourth successive final.

Both teams have won three of their last four games at the venue, where their preferred combinations have worked well.

A key difference is that DC have had contributions throughout their lineup at different times, while Giants have relied heavily on a few players. Whether that over-reliance catches up with them, or Devine produces another special performance to reach a first-ever final, remains to be seen.

When: Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 7:30 PM IST

Where: BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara

What to expect: Middling scores have been the norm, with some assistance for spinners on slow surfaces. The new-ball spell could dictate the contest, with both teams aiming to gain an advantage in the PowerPlay. While the toss hasn't been decisive, both may prefer to bat first.

Gujarat Giants: Unlikely to change a winning combination.

Probable XI: Beth Mooney (wk), Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Georgia Wareham, Bharati Fulmali, Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwer, Renuka Thakur, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Delhi Capitals: Their combination has been effective in Kotambi and is expected to remain unchanged.

Probable XI: Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma

"Actually, we really want to play against them, because we want to beat them" – Shree Charani, DC spinner

"We've won all our games batting first, so there's confidence in that. If you look at our batting lineup, we want to take the game on in the PowerPlay and really set things up early, knowing we've got firepower through the middle and late order. If we can maximise those phases, it puts us in a strong position." – Ashleigh Gardner, Giants captain