WPL 2026 thriller: Gujarat Giants beat Delhi Capitals by 3 runs as Devine defends tense final over
Gujarat Giants edged Delhi Capitals by three runs in a tight WPL 2026 contest in Vadodara, with Sophie Devine holding her nerve in the final over. Chasing 175, Delhi needed nine off the last over but lost key wickets as Gujarat sealed a dramatic win.
The Women’s Premier League delivered another close finish as Gujarat Giants held off Delhi Capitals by three runs in Vadodara, with Sophie Devine producing a nerveless final over to close out the contest. The match went down to the wire: Delhi, chasing 175, needed nine from the last six balls, a scenario that kept both dugouts on edge until the final delivery.
The chase: Delhi in the hunt till the end
With the chase set up to be a sprint finish, Delhi’s hopes rested on extracting boundaries early in the last over and keeping wickets intact. But the Giants’ execution under pressure flipped the equation quickly. Devine’s control in the opening deliveries of the over limited scoring options, forcing riskier shots as Delhi attempted to stay ahead of the required rate.
Devine’s closing act: tight lines and two decisive moments
Devine conceded only four runs off the first three balls, before a critical breakthrough: she trapped Sneh Rana lbw, cutting through Delhi’s finishing momentum. That left Niki Prasad to face the last ball with four required, a near-impossible task unless contact was clean and placement perfect. Prasad swung for the boundary but found Ashleigh Gardner in the deep, sealing Gujarat’s three-run victory.
Why it matters in the tournament
Narrow wins can be season-defining in a league where net run-rate and head-to-head results often shape playoff pathways. For Gujarat, the result not only delivered points but also reinforced their ability to handle high-pressure endings. For Delhi, the match will be seen as another example of how finishing games requires both calculated aggression and wicket protection at the death.
What fans will remember
Beyond the scoreboard, this game will be remembered for its final-over tension and the clarity of execution that decided it. Devine’s spell of composure, paired with Gardner’s safe hands at the boundary, was the difference between a famous chase and a narrow defeat. In a tournament built for prime-time drama, this one delivered in full.