UPW Women vs DC Women, 7th Match, WPL 2026

Delhi Capitals Women finally snapped their losing streak in the Women’s Premier League 2026 with a crazy seven-wicket win against UP Warriorz Women at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai, on January 14. This game had it all: momentum shifts, questionable calls, a super rare retired-out moment, and a nail-biting last-ball finish. Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee stole the show, leaving UPW with their third loss in a row.

UP Warriorz Set 154 After a Good Start, Then a Total Meltdown

UP Warriorz Women were set up to score big after Meg Lanning’s awesome 54 and Harleen Deol’s smooth 47 got them to 130 for 2 after 15 overs. It started rough when Kiran Navgire got out early, edging Marizanne Kapp to Shafali Verma, but Lanning and Phoebe Litchfield calmed things down with a steady partnership.

Lanning looked amazing from the start. She was cutting, pulling, and driving with power and became the third player to get over 1000 runs in WPL history. Her nine fours and one six were timed perfectly, and she and Deol put up 85 runs for the third wicket, which put UPW in a great spot for the end of the innings.

But then came one of the biggest collapses of the season.

From 130 for 2, UP Warriorz fell apart to 154 for 8, losing six wickets for only 24 runs. The game changed when Lanning pulled Nandani Sharma straight to Chinelle Henry. Then, the most talked about call of the game happened.

Harleen Deol Retired Out – A Weird and Questionable Move

With 47 off 36 balls, Harleen Deol was retired out by the UPW management in the 17th over. It was clearly a tactical move to get some fresh power in, but it totally didn’t work. The crowd was shocked, social media blew up, and even the DC players looked confused.

Chloe Tryon, playing for the first time after three seasons on the bench, only lasted three balls. Sophie Ecclestone and Shweta Sehrawat were out quickly after that. Shafali Verma and Marizanne Kapp tore through the middle order. UPW lost all their momentum and couldn’t find the boundary at the end, only getting 16 runs in the last four overs.

Looking back, the retired-out call will be talked about a lot and might just be what defines UPW’s season.

DC’s Chase – Shafali and Lee Dominate

Chasing 155, Delhi Capitals came out swinging. Shafali Verma and Lizelle Lee were on fire in the first six overs, getting to 46 without losing a wicket. Lee, playing against her former South Africa teammate Chloe Tryon, was super aggressive, smashing her for two fours and a six in one over.

By the tenth over, DC were cruising at 87 for 0, and Lee had already reached her second half-century, getting there in only 30 balls. The UPW bowlers couldn’t find their groove as both openers easily rotated the strike and punished any bad balls.

Middle Overs – UPW Fights Back

Just when it looked like an easy win, UPW came back. Asha Sobhana got Shafali Verma out when she tried a reverse sweep, with Deepti Sharma taking an amazing diving catch. Then, Lee was caught out at long-on off Deepti Sharma, giving UPW some hope.

Jemimah Rodrigues added a quick 21 off 14 balls, but when she got out in the 19th over, things got tense. DC needed six off six balls, just like their last game where they failed.

Last Over Drama – Wolvaardt Wins It

Marizanne Kapp faced the first ball of the final over but missed. Two dots followed from Sophie Ecclestone, and suddenly DC needed one off the last ball. The pressure was on. Laura Wolvaardt stayed calm, leaned into it, and drove through the covers to get DC’s first win of the season.

The dugout went wild. Shafali Verma was pumping her fists. Lizelle Lee was relieved. And UP Warriorz were stunned, wondering how they let another one slip away.

Player of the Match – Shafali Verma’s Impact

Shafali Verma deservedly won Player of the Match for her 36 off 32 at the top and her 2 for 16 with the ball. Her over in the 17th totally changed the game, only costing three runs and starting the UPW collapse.

Lizelle Lee, however, was Cricinfo’s MVP with a match impact score of 93.67, thanks to her explosive 67 off 44 balls that set the foundation for the chase.

Key Moments and Records

Meg Lanning getting over 1000 WPL runs was a big deal, showing how consistent she is in the league. Lizelle Lee’s two fifties in a row shows she’s one of the most dangerous openers this season. Shafali Verma’s all-around game proves she’s getting better as a batter and bowler.

For the Delhi Capitals, this win was more than just two points. It gave them some much-needed confidence after those two tough losses, showing they can handle the pressure.

Controversies and Talking Points

The biggest talking point is still Harleen Deol’s retired-out decision. Some former players and fans questioned if it was the right time, saying Deol was set and could’ve scored some quick runs. Instead, UPW lost their momentum and wickets.

There was also a DRS review in the 18th over when DC challenged a wide call that didn’t go their way, which added to the tension at the end.

What Went Wrong for UP Warriorz

UPW’s problem is becoming a pattern. In three games, their middle order has failed to finish strong. Against RCB, they lost 4 for 11. Against Gujarat Giants, three wickets fell for one run. And here, six for 24 ruined everything.

Their bowling also wasn’t great in the first few overs, which let DC get ahead. Without getting early wickets, the pressure was always going to be on the fielding side.