Delhi Capitals survive controversial last-ball run out to edge Mumbai Indians

Delhi Capitals edged Mumbai Indians by 2 wickets in a last-ball thriller to open their Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 campaign.

Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 80 and Harmanpreet Kaur's quick-fire 42 off 22 balls had given MI a fighting total of 164. But DC had managed to come close after Shafali Verma’s blitzkrieg (43 off 18).

MI skipper Harmanpreet handed over the ball to Kerala spinner Sajana Sajeevan to deliver the last over, with DC needing 10 to win. Niki Prasad fetched seven runs off the first three balls, including a boundary. But Sajana struck, getting Niki out on the fifth ball, leaving DC with the task of getting two from the last ball.

Arundhati Reddy managed to steal a double, with the last run taken in a controversial fashion. Television replays showed her bat was on the line when the bails were lit up, but it had sneaked in marginally when the bails had come off. It was a debatable decision, but the verdict was not out, and DC celebrated a memorable win.

Shafali had looked in great touch, smashing 22 off Saika Ishaque, including four boundaries and a six, before hitting 14 off a Hayley Matthews over. Her dismissal led to a collapse as DC went from 60/0 to 76/4. Amelia Kerr (2/21) and Hayley Matthews (2/32) were the pick of the MI bowling unit.

Earlier, Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet added a partnership of 73 runs for the third wicket, but MI, too, witnessed a collapse, losing their final six wickets for just 35 runs. Pacer Shikha Pandey (2/14) was the most successful bowler for DC, while Minnu Mani (1/23) was economical and also caused a smart run out at the non-striker’s end.