WPL 2025: Chinelle’s record fifty, Grace Harris’ hat-trick helps Warriorz beat Capitals

Bengaluru, Feb 22 (IANS) Kranti Goud and Grace Harris claimed four wickets each to dismiss Delhi Capitals for 144 in 19.3 overs to help UP Warriorz to a 33-run win — their first victory of the season — in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

The Warriorz, after being put in to bat, prospered thanks to some heavy power-hitting by Chinelle Henry as she hammered the joint-fastest fifty in the tournament’s history to take the team to 177/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Chinelle came into her after UP’s top-order failed to make big scores.

The Warriors also became the first team, in the eighth game of the ongoing edition, to win a game after batting first in the 2025 WPL.

With their first win looking imminent, Grace put up a memorable show for the fans in attendance closer to the end of the game. She started the final over of the game, with a short ball to Niki Prasad which she pulled straight to deep midwicket. A full toss on the next delivery saw Arundhati Reddy hit it straight to cover-point where skipper Deepti Sharma took a technically sound low catch. The magic followed when Grace caught and bowled Minnu Mani to claim the third hat-trick in WPL’s history.

In their defense of 177, UP certainly did not make it easy for themselves with several lifelines on offer. Saima Thakor, who came into the squad in place of Rajeshwari Gayakwad, ended up dropping three catches, twice of Shafali Varma.

It was a nervy start for openers Shafali and Meg Lanning with the former getting some early boundaries before the latter was claimed by Kranti as her maiden wicket in the WPL when the 21-year-old bowled just outside off and nipped it in to castle the captain’s stumps.

Saima’s moment of redemption came in the ninth over, with Kranti once again being the architect, when a short ball saw an attempted cut head straight to the all-rounder and she made no mistake the third time around.

Jemimah Rodrigues, with 56 runs off 35 balls, was the only Delhi Capitals batter to show any type of resistance but her dismissal, Kranti’s fourth of the night, sealed DC’s fate on the night.

In the first innings, Chinelle Henry’s blistering 62 off 23 balls helped UP Warriorz reach a total of 177/9. The Warriorz were in trouble at 91/6, with the top and middle-order struggling to score. Henry, however, turned the game around with her explosive hitting, striking at a remarkable 269.57. She reached her fifty in just 18 balls, equaling the fastest in WPL history, and continued her onslaught with eight sixes and two fours.

The innings started with a slow build-up, as Kiran Navgire and Deepti Sharma fell to Kapp and Reddy. Shweta Sehrawat briefly increased the tempo with a six and four but was dismissed soon after. With the score at 91/6, Henry’s power-hitting ensured a strong finish, hitting four consecutive sixes in the penultimate over. Despite two late wickets by Jonassen, Henry’s effort was crucial in posting 177/9

Delhi’s bowling attack saw Jess Jonassen claim four wickets while Arundhati Reddy and Marizanne Kapp added to each to their season tally.

Brief Score:

UPW 177/9 in 20 overs (Chinelle Henry 62, Tahlia McGrath 24; Jess Jonassen 4-31) beat Delhi Capitals 144 all out in 19.3 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 56, Shafali Verma 24; Grace Harris 4-15, 4-25) by 33 runs.

–IANS

aaa/bsk/