Delhi Capitals’ Shafali Verma plays a shot during a ‘Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024’ T20 cricket match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Bengaluru, on February 29, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Delhi Capitals rode on Shafali Verma’s (50, 31b, 3×4, 4×6) half-century and Alice Capsey’s (46, 33b, 4×4, 2×6) belligerent knock to post a resounding total of 194 for five against Royal Challengers Bangalore after being put into bat here at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.
Shafali made the most of an early reprieve of a drop catch by Shreyanka Patil and took the charge early on. She struck Renuka Singh and Sophie Devine for a four and six before the latter removed DC skipper Meg Lanning in the fifth over.
The new batter, Capsey, pulled Devine for a four to get off the mark.
Shafali then stepped out to hit Sophie Molineux for a six over long-on, taking the Capitals to 45 in the PowerPlay before Capsey smashed Asha Sobhana for a couple of fours to take 11 off her first over.
The duo continued their onslaught, taking the Capitals to 84 for one at the halfway mark.
Shafali reached fifty with a maximum off Shreyanka in the 12th over but fell off the next delivery.
RCB pulled things back with two quick wickets as Nadine de Klerk removed Jemimah Rodrigues on a four-ball duck before dismissing Capsey to deny her a fifty.
Marizanne Kapp (32 off 16) and Jess Jonassen (36 n.o., 15b, 4×4, 2×6) added 48 off 22 for the fifth wicket, providing DC with a late flourish.
Jonassen clobbered Shreyanka for a four and a six in the last over, helping the Capitals set a formidable target.