Follow UsDelhi Capitals are a fascinating team, not solely for core cricketing reasons. That’s because they have crumbled twice in the final of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) despite being absolutely stellar throughout the season. They have been the prodigies who failed the final exam.
One can debate the reasons for it, and fans can lament it. However, one thing is undeniable—the Capitals have one of the strongest T20 franchise teams in the world.
The batting core of Shafali Verma and Meg Lanning at the top, with Jemimah Rodrigues, Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp in the middle order, is only rivalled by the top five of Mumbai Indians (Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr).
Meanwhile, they have a really solid Indian bowling core, with the experienced Shikha Pandey leading the pack along with Arundhati Reddy, Titas Sadhu and Radha Yadav. Throw in Jess Jonassen, there’s a bowling attack and a half.
However, just like the 2024 season, the challenge would be yet again to maintain the performances throughout the month-long season and then ace the final challenge.
Shafali Verma, Meg Lanning (capt), Nandini Kashyap/Sarah Bryce (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Arundhati Reddy, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey
The all-rounders' army
Marizanne Kapp. Annabel Sutherland. Jess Jonassen.
Having even one of the three can make a team confident of the balance in their team combination. That’s why it isn’t an exaggeration to say that in a team that boasts Jemimah, Shafali, and Lanning, these three will hold the key to DC’s success.
Kapp has been in good touch with the bat in The Hundred last year, where she struck at 134 with an average of 51.75. While her Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) wasn’t so spectacular, you can always expect her to come well in the WPL as she loves batting in India.
On the other hand, Jonassen has kept herself active in cricketing circles despite being out of Australia’s plan by playing franchise cricket worldwide. Meanwhile, Sutherland is in the form of her life, coming off multiple centuries for Australia in the middle order and bowling her overs with a lot of efficacy.
If these three perform, expect DC to make the final yet again.
Collapses in knockouts
The Capitals' batting lineup, which was their biggest strength going into the knockouts, collapsed in consecutive WPL finals. Across both occasions, the top order sizzled while the middle order fizzled.
The makeup of the middle order is similar to the last two seasons on this occasion as well, and the three all-rounders mentioned above, along with Rodrigues and their number three batter, need to take on the responsibility of taking them home.
Marizanne Kapp
Who else but her?
She bowls the new ball probably better than most other pacers in the world, getting it to shape away naturally, and then generates prodigious seam movement into the batters as well. Not only that, she also comes back to execute her variations at the death as well.
That’s why she has 20 wickets at an average and strike rate of just 19 in the two WPL seasons so far while not giving more than a run a ball.
Moreover, the stability she adds to DC’s batting order is again precious for Lanning’s side, as she can strike at 120 strike rate or above with ease and make the others bat around her.
If Kapp has a good season yet again, DC would be looking to go one up from the last two seasons.
Things to watch out for
> Shafali Verma’s form, as she plays to make her place back in the Indian setup.
> Annabel Sutherland is in scintillating form.
> Arundhati Reddy also has a point to prove, like Shafali, after the Indian management left her out despite performing really well in the opportunities provided.
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