MUMBAI: Delhi Capitals shook away some nervy moments to beat UP Warriorz by five wickets to top the table and qualify for the Women's Premier League final by pipping Mumbai Indians on better net run-rate.
Capitals and MI were locked at 12 points each but the former finished with a net run-rate of +1.856 to MI's +1.711. In the summit clash to be played at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday, Capitals will face the winners of MI and Warriorz who will square off in the eliminator on Friday at the DY Patil Stadium.
Capitals got off the blocks in a jiffy with skipper Meg Lanning (39, 23b; 5x4, 2x6) and Shafali Verma (21, 16b; 4x4) setting the tone with their 31-ball 56 runs association for the opening wicket.
Capitals stuttered a bit thereafter by losing three quick wickets in the space of 12 balls. First to be dismissed was Verma, who swathed a short one from medium-pacer S Yashasri (1/26) straight to Sophie Ecclestone, who held on to a low catch at long-on.
Then came the double blow in the seventh over bowled by Shabnim Ismail (2/29) which threatened to derail the Capitals' march. But Warriorz's hope of mounting a comeback were soon sedated by the fourth-wicket stand of 60 runs between Marizanne Kapp (34*, 31b, 4x4, 1x6) and Alice Capsey (34, 31b; 4x4,1x6).
The quick start that Capitals got helped them immensely as well as the duo didn't have any run-rate pressure. They played watchfully and counter-attacked when required to make sure Capitals crossed the line with ease.
While Kapp played a second fiddle, Capsey took on the mantle to put the pressure back on Warriorz when she hit three fours in the ninth over bowled by Ecclestone (1/25). Capsey eventually fell to Ecclestone but her job was done with Capitals requiring just nine runs for victory.
Earlier, if not for Tahlia McGrath's (58*, 32b; 8x4, 2x6) late burst which saw her score 30 runs in nine balls in the last two overs, Warriorz were on the verge of collapsing to a much lower total.
