Delhi Capitals crush RCB in WPL 2026, Minnu Mani hails team's execution

Opting to field first, Delhi Capitals' bowlers adapted to the conditions and bowled RCB out for 109. Nandni Sharma led the attack with figures of 3 for 26, including two wickets in the final over, and retained the Purple Cap with 13 wickets in the tournament so far. Marizanne Kapp (2 for 17), Chinelle Henry (2 for 22) and Minnu Mani (2 for 18) supported with disciplined spells to restrain the opposition.

Chasing 110, Delhi Capitals steadied after an early wobble to complete the target in professional fashion. Skipper Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt shared a 52-run stand to calm the innings, with Wolvaardt finishing unbeaten on 42 and Rodrigues contributing a valuable 24. The Capitals finished on 111 for 3, sealing the win with 7 wickets in hand, aiming to stay in the playoff hunt.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Delhi Capitals all-rounder Minnu Mani said the team's clear plans and disciplined execution on a slow, low wicket, with everyone sticking to their roles, were key to their bowling performance.

"We were very clear with our plans going into the game because we knew the wicket here would be slow and low. As a bowling unit, we focused on hitting the right lengths and not trying to do too much. Everyone stuck to their roles, and the way we executed our plans collectively made a big difference," Minnu Mani said, as per a press release from Delhi Capitals.

Speaking about the role of spin and how the team kept things tight, Mani added, "On pitches like this, patience becomes very important. You cannot expect wickets straight away, but if you keep things tight and force batters to take risks, chances will come. As spinners, our job was to control the middle overs, mix up pace and make it difficult to score freely, and I think we did that really well today."

Opening up about her own performance in the match and recent improvements, Mani said, "In the earlier games, my execution was not where I wanted it to be, even though the effort was there. I kept working on it in training and trusted what the coaches were telling me. Today, things clicked better at a crucial moment, and I am really happy that I could contribute when the team needed it."

Highlighting the confidence the team is building from successive results, she said, "Winning back-to-back matches definitely gives you confidence, but more importantly, it shows that we are learning as a group. Even when we were under pressure in different phases of the game, we stayed calm and trusted our process. That is something we want to carry forward."

Delhi Capitals will next face Gujarat Giants in their upcoming Women's Premier League 2026 fixture on Tuesday, January 27, as they look to build on the momentum from back-to-back victories.

- ANI