Punjab Newsline, Sports :
Jemimah Rodrigues begins captaincy stint as DC take on defending champions MI
Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Jemimah Rodrigues marked the start of her leadership journey in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 by winning the toss and electing to bowl first against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday. The decision set the tone for a high-profile clash between two strong sides early in the season.
Jemimah, the youngest captain in WPL history, named Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry, Marizanne Kapp and Lizelle Lee as DC’s four overseas players for the match. Indian pacer Nandini Sharma was handed her tournament debut, adding fresh pace to the Capitals’ bowling attack.
Speaking after the toss, Jemimah highlighted her special connection with the DY Patil Stadium, calling it a memorable venue in her career. She recalled making her Test debut at the ground and winning her first World Cup there, adding that leading Delhi Capitals at the same venue made the occasion even more meaningful. The DC skipper said her long experience of captaining her state side since the age of 16 has helped her embrace responsibility, which she believes brings out the best in her game. She also praised the team environment, stating that the mix of overseas and domestic players has created fresh energy within the squad.
Mumbai Indians entered the match looking to bounce back after a narrow three-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their opening game on Friday. MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur said the team would have preferred to chase had they won the toss but stressed the importance of learning quickly from the previous game and improving with limited recovery time.
MI made a key change to their playing XI, with left-arm spinner Triveni Vasistha making her WPL debut in place of Saika Ishaque. Harmanpreet noted that the pitch appeared different from the previous day and looked good for batting, setting expectations for a competitive contest.
Playing XIs
Delhi Capitals: Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (captain), Lizelle Lee (wicket-keeper), Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Sree Charani, Nandini Sharma.
Mumbai Indians: Amelia Kerr, G Kamalini (wicket-keeper), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Nicola Carey, Sajeevan Sajana, Amanjot Kaur, Poonam Khemnar, Triveni Vasistha, Shabnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta.