WPL 2026 Eliminator: Gujarat Giants Women vs Delhi Capitals Women – Match Preview

Match Details

• Date: Tuesday, 3rd February 2026
• Venue: Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara
• Start Time: 02:00 PM GMT | 07:30 PM IST | 07:30 PM Local

Match Context

The WPL 2026 Eliminator sets the stage for a high-stakes clash between Gujarat Giants Women and Delhi Capitals Women. With the final on the line, both teams enter this pivotal encounter with contrasting recent performances and strong individual talents ready to deliver under pressure.

Gujarat Giants, the more consistent side in the tournament, secured their place in the Eliminator with a string of three consecutive victories, including a crucial win over Mumbai Indians in the final group match. Delhi Capitals, on the other hand, had to fight hard to qualify, sealing their spot with a win over UP Warriorz, albeit with some inconsistency in their performance.

Team Form and Strengths

Gujarat Giants Women

Gujarat’s success has been underpinned by a balanced squad with a strong top-order and a potent bowling attack. Sophie Devine has been the standout performer, excelling with both bat and ball. Ashleigh Gardner has been a consistent run-scorer and a reliable all-rounder, while Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Renuka Singh have provided crucial breakthroughs with the ball.

The Giants also boast a solid bench, with players like Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Kim Garth, and Georgia Wareham adding depth and experience. Their dominance in the head-to-head record (3-2 in the last five matches) gives them a psychological edge.

Delhi Capitals Women

Delhi Capitals, despite not having a trophy to their name, have consistently been in the mix. Shafali Verma and Laura Wolvaardt have been the backbone of their batting, with Shafali’s aggressive strokeplay and Laura’s consistency at the top of the order proving to be match-defining. With Marizanne Kapp leading the bowling, the Capitals have a reliable pace threat, and spinners like N Shree Charani have chipped in with crucial wickets.

However, Delhi will need to overcome their recent challenges in maintaining a consistent performance across all departments if they are to make a breakthrough in this match.

Players to Watch

Gujarat Giants Women

• Sophie Devine – MVP of the tournament, with 17 wickets and 237 runs. A match-winner in every sense.
• Ashleigh Gardner – A top-order anchor and key all-rounder, averaging 30.5 with the bat and 39.33 with the ball.
• Rajeshwari Gayakwad – The leading spinner for Gujarat with 10 wickets in six matches at an average of 14.5.

Delhi Capitals Women

• Laura Wolvaardt – Delhi’s leading run-scorer with 241 runs at an average of 40.16.
• Marizanne Kapp – The experienced all-rounder with ten wickets at an average of 18.6 and an economy of 5.81.
• Shafali Verma – Delhi’s explosive opener, with a boundary rate of 21% and a proven ability to change the game with a big score.

Venue Insights – Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara (T20s)

• Average First Innings Score (2025-2026): 155.44
• Win Percentage for Chasing Teams: 67%
• Wickets per Innings:
  • First Innings: 7.53
  • Second Innings: 5.4
• Wickets by Phase:
  • Powerplay (1–6): 1.60
  • Middle Overs (7–15): 2.70
  • Death Overs (16–20): 2.11

The Kotambi Stadium has historically been a good venue for batting sides, with a slight advantage to teams chasing. However, the Giants have shown they can adapt well, having won both their regular season matches at this venue.

Squads

Gujarat Giants Women

Ashleigh Gardner (c), Beth Mooney (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Shivani Singh (wk), Bharti Fulmali, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Kanika Ahuja, Sophie Devine, Kim Garth, Anushka Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Tanuja Kanwar, Renuka Singh, Titas Sadhu, Georgia Wareham, Happy Kumari, Ayushi Soni.

Delhi Capitals Women

Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Lizelle Lee (wk), Taniya Bhatia (wk), Madiwala Mamatha (wk), Deeya Yadav, Niki Prasad, Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Lucy Hamilton, Marizanne Kapp, Alana King, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma.

Match Predictions

• Toss Prediction: Gujarat Giants
• Winning Team Prediction: Gujarat Giants
• Top Batter (Runs): Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants), Laura Wolvaardt (Delhi Capitals)
• Top Bowler (Wickets): Sophie Devine (Gujarat Giants), N Shree Charani (Delhi Capitals)
• Most Sixes: Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants), Chinelle Henry (Delhi Capitals)
• Player of the Match: Sophie Devine (Gujarat Giants)
• Predicted Scores:
  • Gujarat Giants (batting first): 150+
  • Delhi Capitals (batting first): 140+

Key Insights

• Shafali's Impact: Delhi Capitals have a 21% win rate when Shafali scores over 50.
• Dot Ball Dilemma: Kanika Ahuja is known for her ability to avoid dot balls, which could be a key factor in the middle overs.
• Powerplay Wickets: Renuka Singh has taken 67% of her wickets during the powerplay, which could be crucial in the early stages.
• Economy Rate: Renuka’s economy rate is below 6.00 in 46% of her international matches, a strong indicator of her effectiveness in tight games.

Final Verdict

Gujarat Giants enter the match as the stronger side on paper, having secured a consistent run through the tournament and a better head-to-head record against Delhi. However, Delhi Capitals will be driven by the motivation to break their final jinx and will rely on their explosive batting and experienced bowling to challenge the Giants.

This match promises to be a thrilling encounter, with the result hinging on key performances from the big names and how well each side adapts to the conditions at Kotambi Stadium.
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