Shafali Verma and Jess Jonassen hammered unbeaten fifties to guide Delhi Capitals (DC) into the WPL 2025 playoffs with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday. It marked RCB’s fourth consecutive defeat, leaving them winless in the Bengaluru leg of the tournament.

Ellyse Perry once again anchored RCB’s innings after being put in to bat, scoring an unbeaten 60 to help them reach 147 for 5. However, it wasn’t enough against the table-toppers, as DC’s bowling attack, led by Shikha Pandey and debutant left-arm spinner Shree Charani—both claiming two wickets each—kept them in check.

DC’s chase started on a shaky note with Meg Lanning departing in the third over, but Shafali and Jonassen took charge, forging an unbeaten 146-run stand off just 77 balls—the highest partnership in a WPL run chase. Their fireworks left the Chinnaswamy Stadium stunned as DC sealed the win with 27 balls to spare.

Perry Holds RCB Together Amidst Batting Woes

Ellyse Perry, who had already notched up three fifties in RCB’s first five matches, once again played a pivotal role on a sluggish pitch. While Danni Wyatt-Hodge (21 off 18) and Raghvi Bist (33 off 32) made promising starts, neither managed to convert them into substantial scores, leaving Perry to anchor the innings and maintain momentum.

Walking in after Smriti Mandhana’s early dismissal in the second over, Perry wasted no time, smashing a wide half-volley from Shikha Pandey over the covers for four in her next over. She later took on the spinners, launching a six each off Jess Jonassen, Shree Charani, and Minnu Mani.

Perry stitched together a steady 44-run stand with Wyatt-Hodge for the second wicket and a 66-run partnership with Bist for the third. However, with Bist struggling to find rhythm, their stand consumed 54 balls, slowing RCB’s acceleration.

She reached her fourth fifty of the season off 37 balls in the 14th over, setting RCB up for a strong finish at 119 for 2 by the end of the 16th over. However, the team faltered in the final stretch, managing just 28 runs in the last four overs while losing three wickets. Perry, crucially, faced only seven balls in the last five overs, adding just eight runs.

With 295 runs in six innings, Perry has now surpassed Nat Sciver-Brunt to become the tournament’s leading run-scorer.

Charani Impresses on Debut with Crucial Breakthroughs

Delhi Capitals opted for Shree Charani over pacer Titas Sadhu, and the debutant justified the decision with a composed and impactful performance. Unfazed by the electrifying atmosphere at the Chinnaswamy, Charani made full use of the turn on offer, maintaining a disciplined line by angling the ball into middle and leg throughout her spell.

Her defining moment came in the 17th over when she dismissed Raghvi Bist and Richa Ghosh in quick succession, swinging the momentum in DC’s favor and stifling RCB’s hopes of a late flourish. She wrapped up an impressive debut with figures of 2 for 28 in her four-over spell, proving to be a game-changer at the death.

Chinnaswamy Turns Sour for Mandhana After Last Season’s Heroics

Smriti Mandhana was dominant at the Chinnaswamy during WPL 2024, amassing 219 runs in five innings at a blistering strike rate of 154.22, including two half-centuries. However, this season has been a stark contrast, with the RCB skipper struggling to find form at her home ground.

Poor shot selection has plagued her campaign, resulting in just 50 runs from four innings at a modest strike rate of 102.04. Her woes continued on Saturday when she chased a Shikha Pandey delivery angling away from off-stump, only to edge it to Meg Lanning at wide slip, extending her lean patch.

Left-Right Duo Powers DC Past RCB

RCB started strong in the powerplay, conceding just five runs in the first three overs, with Renuka Singh showcasing excellent control and movement, keeping almost every delivery within the stumps. She struck early, removing Meg Lanning for a scratchy 2 off 12 balls, thanks to a sharp catch from Ellyse Perry at mid-on. However, once Jess Jonassen joined Shafali Verma, the momentum shifted dramatically in DC’s favor.

Jonassen, batting at No. 3 for only the second time, replicated her earlier unbeaten 61 at the same venue against Gujarat Giants. With DC’s top order dominated by right-handers, her left-handed presence unsettled RCB’s bowlers. She played a fluent 38-ball knock, smashing nine fours and a towering six off left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht.

Meanwhile, Shafali, who had previously fallen in the 40s on three occasions this season, showed greater composure and determination to convert her start into a big score. She delivered her best performance of the season, hammering eight fours and four sixes—two on each side of the wicket—dispatching the RCB attack to all corners.

As DC approached their target, RCB’s bowling crumbled under pressure. From 68 for 1 in nine overs, DC launched a brutal assault, plundering 83 runs off the final 39 balls with eight fours and five sixes, sealing a dominant win.