Jemimah Rodrigues fined [Source: AFP]Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues has been fined for a slow over-rate after her team failed to complete their overs on time during a thrilling Women’s Premier League (WPL 2026) match against the Gujarat Giants in Vadodara on Tuesday.Jemimah Rodrigues finedNotably, the match turned into a nail-biting contest, with Delhi narrowly losing by just three runs in the final over. This was Jemimah Rodrigues’ first over-rate offence of the season under the WPL Code of Conduct, and hence, she was fined INR 12 lakh. According to league rules, the team captain is held responsible if the required number of overs is not bowled within the stipulated time. Therefore, even though the match was intense and closely fought, the penalty was unavoidable.Gujarat Giants keep calm under pressureTalking about the match, Gujarat Giants showed great composure and held their nerve to secure a hard-fought victory. Asked to bat first, they posted a competitive total of 174 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs. Veteran Australian wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney anchored the innings with a calm and composed 58 off 46 balls, while recent breakout star Anushka Sharma added momentum with a quick 39 off 25 deliveries.Although Delhi bowler Sree Charani delivered a standout performance with figures of 4 for 31, Gujarat managed to recover well and finished strongly. Importantly, they scored 15 runs in the final over, which proved crucial in the end.In response, Delhi Capitals began their chase positively, reaching 16 runs in the first two overs. Shafali Verma looked aggressive early on, scoring 14 off 10 balls, but her innings ended when she was caught at long-on off Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s bowling.Devine and Gayakwad lead Gujarat’s bowling effortSoon after, Lizelle Lee struggled to build momentum and was dismissed for 11. As wickets continued to fall, even experienced batters like Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt found it difficult to score freely, causing the required run rate to rise steadily.Just when the match seemed to be slipping away, a sensational 70-run partnership between Niki Prasad (47) and Sneh Rana (29) revived Delhi’s hopes. Their fighting effort pushed the match to the very last over and brought the crowd to its feet. However, Sophie Devine and Rajeshwari Gayakwad played important roles with the ball, ensuring that Delhi never fully took control of the chase. With nine runs needed from the final six balls, hopes were high for Delhi. However, Sophie Devine struck twice in the last over, dismissing both Sneh Rana and Niki Prasad to seal the win for Gujarat.Notably, Devine finished with impressive figures of 4 wickets for 37 runs, while Gayakwad supported her well with 3 wickets for just 20 runs.What’s next for Delhi Capitals?Unfortunately for Delhi, Sophie Devine produced a calm and controlled final over to successfully defend the target. With this narrow victory, Gujarat Giants climbed to second place in the standings.Delhi Capitals will now face UP Warriorz on Sunday, February 1, in Vadodara, as they look to bounce back from this narrow defeat.
