In a high-stakes encounter at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, Delhi Capitals skipper Jemimah Rodrigues called correctly at the toss and opted to bowl first against the unbeaten Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 15th match of the Women’s Premier League 2026 on Saturday.
Rodrigues explained her decision, pointing to the conditions under lights where the ball is expected to skid more effectively, coupled with potential dew later in the game. ‘The ball might stay a bit low based on what we’ve observed, but our game plan remains solid,’ she said. DC made two changes: Lucy Hamilton and Deepta are out, replaced by Chinelle Henry and Minnu Mani.
RCB captain Smriti Mandhana, who would have preferred to field, noted the windy conditions might reduce dew impact. ‘Batting first was on our minds,’ she admitted. RCB brought back fit player Aru, with Prema making way.
With only three games left for DC to secure a playoff spot, they face a formidable RCB side that’s won all five matches, topping the points table with 10 points. DC, with two wins from five, sits fourth and desperately needs a victory to stay in contention.
Gujarat Giants lead the chase for playoffs in second with three wins from six, followed by Mumbai Indians in third and UP Warriors in fifth. DC’s historical strength—reaching finals as group toppers in the first three seasons—contrasts with their current struggles in balancing batting and bowling.
RCB Playing XI: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (c), Georgia Voll, Gautami Naik, Richa Ghosh (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Sayali Satghare, Lauren Bell.
DC Playing XI: Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shri Chرانی, Nandani Sharma.
As RCB aims to maintain their perfect record, DC will look to pull off an upset and revive their campaign in this crucial WPL showdown.
