The TATA WPL 2026 continued its trend of high-octane drama as Match 10 delivered a contest for the ages at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. In a game defined by shifting momentum and individual brilliance, the Gujarat Giants successfully defended a total of 174, surviving a ferocious lower-order counterattack from the Delhi Capitals to secure a nail-biting three-run victory.
Mooney and Sharma Provide the Foundation
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Gujarat Giants were intent on setting a formidable target. While the early loss of Sophie Devine for 13 threatened to stall their progress, captain Beth Mooney stepped up with a quintessential anchor’s knock. Mooney, who had been searching for a significant score this season, played with a blend of caution and aggression, compiling a masterful 58 off 46 balls. Her innings was characterized by precise placement, finding the fence seven times and ensuring the Giants never lost their footing in the middle overs.
She found an ideal partner in Anushka Sharma, who played the role of the aggressor. Sharma’s 39 runs came off just 25 deliveries, a knock punctuated by eight boundaries that forced the Delhi Capitals into defensive fields. Together, the duo stitched a 54-run partnership for the second wicket, laying a platform that looked set to propel the Giants past the 190-mark.
Sree Charani’s Clinical Spell Restricts the Giants
Just as the Giants looked ready to explode in the death overs, Delhi’s Sree Charani turned the tide. Bowling with discipline and variations that exploited the surface, Charani dismantled the Giants’ middle and lower order. Her four-wicket haul (4/31) was instrumental in preventing a late-innings surge, as she claimed the crucial wickets of Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, and Kashvee Gautam in quick succession.
Despite a gritty 21-run cameo from Tanuja Kanwer at the end, the Giants finished on 174/9. While it was a competitive total, the feeling at the innings break was that the Capitals, boasting one of the most explosive batting lineups in the tournament, held the slight advantage.
Delhi’s Top-Order Stutter and Prasad’s Heroics
The run chase began in disappointing fashion for the Capitals. The Giants’ bowling unit, led by Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Sophie Devine, struck early and often. Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee, and Jemimah Rodrigues all fell within the first half of the innings, leaving the Capitals reeling at 82/3 and eventually slipping to a precarious 100/6. Gayakwad was particularly effective, using her flight and turn to finish with figures of 3/20.
With 75 runs required from the final 33 balls, the match seemed to be slipping away from Delhi. However, Niki Prasad had other plans. The young batter played a fearless innings that breathed life into the stadium, smashing 47 runs from just 24 deliveries. Alongside Sneh Rana, who contributed a brisk 29 off 15 balls, Prasad orchestrated a 70-run stand that brought the equation down to just nine runs needed from the final over.
Devine’s “Ice-Cool” Final Over Seals the Win
With the momentum firmly with the Capitals, Ashleigh Gardner turned to the experience of Sophie Devine to bowl the 20th over. What followed was a masterclass in composure. Devine restricted the scoring with accurate yorkers and clever changes of pace.
The drama peaked on the final two deliveries. First, she had Sneh Rana caught by Georgia Wareham to heighten the tension. Then, with four runs needed off the last ball for a Capitals win, Niki Prasad attempted to clear the long-on boundary but was caught by Gardner. Devine finished with match-winning figures of 4/37, securing a three-run win for Gujarat and sparking wild celebrations among the Giants’ dugout.
This victory moves the Gujarat Giants up the table and reinforces their status as a team capable of winning under extreme pressure. For the Capitals, while the result was a heartbreak, the depth and fighting spirit shown by their lower order will serve as a warning to the rest of the league.