Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues hailed her team’s belief, composure and collective bowling effort after they stormed into a fourth consecutive Women’s Premier League final with a commanding seven-wicket win over Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator at the BCA Stadium (Kotambi) on Tuesday.
Reflecting on the significance of the victory, Jemimah said this qualification felt special, especially given Delhi’s recent struggles against Gujarat. “This final feels different for sure. Against GG, the last two games didn’t go our way. Last time we needed seven runs in the final over, today we won by seven wickets,” she said after receiving the Player of the Match award. “When you keep believing as a team, magic happens.”
Delhi’s emphatic chase of 168 in just 15.4 overs underlined their growing authority in knockout matches. It marked their first win over Gujarat after three straight defeats and extended a striking trend all five of Delhi’s wins this season have come while chasing. The result also saw Delhi become the first team to reach four consecutive WPL finals, following their summit appearances in the previous three editions under Meg Lanning.
Calm minds and simple plans power Delhi Capitals, Jemimah Rodrigues believes
Jemimah revealed there were no major tactical tweaks ahead of the must-win contest, with the team opting to keep things simple. “Honestly, nothing changed. Even our team meeting was very short,” she said. “We didn’t want to overthink or try too hard. We just trusted each other, trusted ourselves, stayed calm and played good cricket. When you do things the right way, everything falls into place.”
While the chase grabbed the spotlight, Jemimah was quick to credit the bowlers for setting up the win despite a resilient half-century from Beth Mooney. “A lot of credit goes to our bowlers. Kappie, our bowlers won us the game today,” she said. “They make me look good as a captain. Setting fields and making bowling changes is easy, but they still have to go out there and deliver and everyone did.”
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Delhi briefly lost momentum when both openers fell in the same over, but Jemimah said the team remained unfazed. “Today was restoration for us,” she said. “The way Shafali and Lee bat from both ends, it’s incredibly hard for bowlers. I’m just so glad they’re in my team.”
She added that her partnership with Laura Wolvaardt was built on clarity and positive intent rather than scoreboard pressure. “Two wickets falling can create pressure, but Wolfie and I focused on playing positive cricket. We didn’t worry about the score, just played to the merit of the ball and stuck to our strengths.”
Jemimah also reflected on her own batting approach, admitting she had consciously stepped away from over-preparation. “I realised I was trying too hard. In the last two games, I just let go,” she said. “It’s like a butterfly, the more desperate you are, the further it flies away. When you let go, it comes and sits on your shoulder.”
With Delhi now preparing for another final, the skipper insisted the focus would remain on staying fresh and keeping things simple. “One more game to go,” she said. “We’ll keep our plans simple, stay positive, and then we’ll celebrate.”
