In a record-breaking night at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, Gujarat Giants (GG) clinched a memorable four-run victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 4 of the TATA Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. This high-octane encounter saw the Ashleigh Gardner-led side maintain their perfect start to the season, securing their second consecutive win following their opening victory against UP Warriorz.
The match was a captivating display of cricket, where the raw power of seasoned internationals collided with the historic emergence of young Indian talent. From a whirlwind innings that shattered scoring records to a bowling performance that rewrote the history books for uncapped players, the evening provided everything a cricket fan could hope for.
Sophie Devine’s Record-Breaking Masterclass
After being put in to bat first, the Gujarat Giants asserted their dominance immediately, spearheaded by a breathtaking performance from Sophie Devine. Picking up exactly where she left off in her previous outing, Devine launched a relentless assault on the Delhi Capitals’ bowling attack.
The highlight of her innings—and a moment that will live long in WPL folklore—came in the sixth over. Facing Sneh Rana, Devine unleashed a sequence of 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, and 6. This incredible display resulted in 32 runs, the most expensive over ever recorded in the history of the WPL. This power-hitting surge propelled Devine to a 25-ball half-century, and alongside Beth Mooney, helped the Giants reach 80/0 by the end of the powerplay, the second-highest powerplay total in the league’s history.
While Mooney played a steady supporting role before being dismissed by a brilliant return reflex catch from Sree Charani, Devine showed no signs of slowing down. She seemed destined to break her own joint-record for the highest individual WPL score (99) and become the first player to hit a century in the tournament. However, on 95 off just 42 balls—including eight massive sixes—she miscued a shot to short fine-leg off the bowling of Nandni Sharma, falling just five runs short of the milestone.
Nandni Sharma’s Historic Five-Wicket Haul
Despite the Giants being in a commanding position at 172/5 after 16 overs and cruising toward a massive total, the Delhi Capitals found an unlikely hero in Nandni Sharma. Playing only her second-ever WPL match, the uncapped youngster delivered a performance for the ages.
As the Giants looked set for a late-innings flourish reaching 201/6 after 18 overs, Nandni took charge in the final over. In a stunning display of death bowling, she became the first uncapped player in WPL history to claim a hat-trick, taking wickets with the final three deliveries of the innings. Her efforts restricted the Giants to 209 all out and saw her become the first bowler to take four wickets in a single over. Nandni finished with remarkable figures of 5/33, earning herself the Purple Cap with seven wickets in just two innings.
A Tense Chase and Devine’s Final Flourish
The momentum shifted back to Delhi as Lizelle Lee initiated a power-packed response. Despite an early loss of Shafali Verma, Lee took the fight to the Giants’ bowlers, including Renuka Singh and Georgia Wareham. Supported by fellow South African Laura Wolvaardt, Lee raced to 86 off 53 balls. It appeared she might finally break the “hundred-jinx” of the evening, but she eventually holed out to long-on off Kashvee Gautam.
The drama intensified as Wolvaardt took over the mantle, smashing 47 runs during a frantic period that included a 19-run assault on Ashleigh Gardner’s 18th over. With the Capitals needing only seven runs off the final six balls and Jemimah Rodrigues and Wolvaardt both at the crease, the game seemed to be in Delhi’s hands.
However, Sophie Devine proved to be the ultimate match-winner. Stepping up to bowl the final over, she showcased her experience by conceding only two runs. Most crucially, she dismissed both Rodrigues and the dangerous Wolvaardt (who finished with 77 off 38 balls) to seal a dramatic four-run victory. The win propelled Gujarat Giants to the top of the table, leaving the Delhi Capitals to reflect on a near-miss despite an extraordinary individual effort from Nandni Sharma.