Vadodara: Skipper Jemimah Rodrigues led from the front with a composed unbeaten half-century to guide JSW and GMR co-owners Delhi Capitals to a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League 2026 here at the BCA Stadium on Tuesday.
Chasing 155 on an ever-slowing surface, Delhi Capitals ended the chase in 19 overs after a strong start at the top and a quiet finish in the middle. Openers Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma provided the early momentum before Rodrigues secured the innings with assured 51 and 37 deliveries. Marizanne Kapp provided late support as DC closed out the contest.
Speaking about the impact of the opening partnership and how it shaped the chase, Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues said: “With Lizelle and Shafali batting together, it is a very destructive opening pair. The bowlers know that they have to do everything right or else they will be punished. On this wicket, the way they batted with the new ball and the powerplay we had was very important. As the ball got older, it got slower, so the start made that they gave us, the difference.” a lot easier for the batters coming in.”
Reflecting on her own role in the chase and the game’s conclusion, Rodrigues said:
“In the previous games I felt like I played the innings successfully even though I came in quite late. I know a lot more was expected of me and one thing I wanted to work on was finishing the innings. Today I was really happy that I was able to stay there until the end and take that responsibility for the team.”
Talking about her early experiences as captain of Delhi Capitals, Rodrigues added: “It was a learning phase for me. I thought that captaincy would bring a lot more pressure, but the team has taken a lot of that away from me. We have head coach Jonathan Batty, our support staff and the leadership group and they have made my life a lot easier. Captaincy is not fixed, you have to be instinctive and accept that sometimes things work and sometimes they don’t. I am learning to support myself and give myself space to make mistakes.” Because that’s how you grow.”
Talking about the team balance and her batting position, the DC captain said: “As captain I can’t just think about myself, the team always comes first. I felt that Laura (Wolvaardt) was better suited at number three because the ball is newer and arrives well, while I can handle the bat a little later and against the spinners. She did her role really well and helped me a lot on the field too.”
Highlighting the approach Delhi Capitals are taking throughout the tournament, Rodrigues said: “In tournaments like this, it’s important to peak at the right time. We try to take it one game at a time, stick to our processes and not hope too much for results. If we keep doing the right things, the results will follow.”
Delhi Capitals will next face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the upcoming Women’s Premier League 2026 match on Saturday, January 24 and will be looking to build on the momentum of this win.
