In a heart-stopping encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Gujarat Giants emerged victorious by a mere four runs against the Delhi Capitals in Match 4 of the TATA Women's Premier League 2026. The high-octane clash, played at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on January 11, 2026, was ultimately decided by a phenomenal all-round performance from New Zealand's Sophie Devine.
Devine's Dominance with the Bat
The foundation of Gujarat Giants' imposing total of 209 was laid single-handedly by the explosive Sophie Devine. The veteran all-rounder played a breathtaking innings, scoring 95 runs off just 42 balls. Her knock was a masterclass in power-hitting, decorated with eight massive sixes and several scorching boundaries. Devine announced her intent early, with a blistering off-drive in the second over, and never let up. She particularly targeted Delhi's bowling in the powerplay, smashing four consecutive sixes off spinner Sneh Rana to stamp her authority on the game.
Nandni Sharma's Heroic Fightback
Just as Gujarat looked set to post a total well beyond 230, Delhi Capitals' Nandni Sharma produced a stunning fightback. The medium pacer from Chandigarh, who was hit for boundaries early in her spell, made a crucial comeback. She first dismissed the dangerous Devine with a clever slower delivery. Then, in the dramatic final over of the innings, Nandni scripted history. She picked up four wickets, including a hat-trick on the last three balls, to finish with remarkable figures of 5 wickets for 33 runs. This heroic effort restricted Gujarat to 209, giving Delhi a fighting chance.
A Chase of Twists and Turns
In response, Delhi Capitals' chase was built around two magnificent innings. Opener Lizelle Lee scored a fluent 86, while captain Laura Wolvaardt played a brilliant captain's knock of 77. The pair kept Delhi in the hunt throughout. The match seemed to swing decisively in Delhi's favour in the 18th and 19th overs, where they plundered 41 runs. Needing just 7 runs off the final 6 balls, with set batters at the crease, Delhi were the overwhelming favourites.
The Deciding Final Over
With the game on the line, Gujarat Giants captain Ash Gardner turned to her star performer, Sophie Devine, to bowl the decisive final over. Under immense pressure, Devine delivered a masterclass in death bowling. She mixed her pace brilliantly, using slower balls to perfection. She first dismissed Delhi skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (caught behind) off the second ball. The crucial wicket of the well-set Laura Wolvaardt followed, caught at deep midwicket. Devine conceded only two runs in the over, sealing a miraculous 4-run victory for her team. Her figures of 2 wickets for 21 runs capped off a perfect night.
The result means Gujarat Giants have started their WPL 2026 campaign with two consecutive wins, both involving 200-plus scores. For the Delhi Capitals, led by Jemimah Rodrigues, it is a second painful defeat in as many days, this one by the narrowest of margins after being in a commanding position. The match also featured outstanding fielding efforts, notably a boundary-saving leap by Gujarat's Anushka Sharma in the 19th over, which ultimately proved to be the difference between victory and defeat.
Brief Scores: Gujarat Giants 209 in 20 overs (Sophie Devine 95; Nandni Sharma 5/33) beat Delhi Capitals 205/5 in 20 overs (Lizelle Lee 86, Laura Wolvaardt 77; Sophie Devine 2/21) by 4 runs.
