Of late, Shafali Verma has been making it a habit to come clutch in big games in decisive fashion. She stepped up yet again in the Eliminator with a 21-ball 31 in Vadodara. As if Shafali wasn’t enough to wreak havoc, Lizelle Lee piled on to Gujarat Giants’ misery.

The result was 75/0 – their best start for DC in the Powerplay in the tournament. The fifth over was particularly destructive as Renuka Singh was taken on for 21 runs, comprising five boundaries.

It was carnage from the Capitals before a crucial Georgia Wareham over that ended the 89-run opening partnership and Lee walked back for 43 off 24. She followed it up with the wicket of Shafali in the same over.

With Giants ripped apart in the Powerplay itself, it made the job easy for the batters to follow. Captain Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt (32*) stitched a 68-run partnership off 41 deliveries to reduce the deficit. Rodrigues scored a composed 41 off 23 but was dismissed by Gayakwad in the 15th over.

Wolvaardt stayed on till the end, combining with fellow South African Marizanne Kapp (4*) to chase the 169 down in just 15.4 overs. Before this, the highest target successfully chased in the WPL playoffs was 132 that Mumbai Indians chased down against Delhi Capitals in the 2023 final.

“Wanted to play as straight as possible and make good decisions. Think we did that very well tonight,” said Lee after the match. “We just have to make sure we stick to our basics and play what is in front of us (in the final). Hopefully we can do that.”

Beth Mooney, one of the most reliable players in knockouts, rose to the occasion yet again as she scored an unbeaten 62 off 5. She paced the innings to perfection even as Chinelle Henry (3/35) and Nandni Sharma (2/44) ensured early hiccups for the Giants. Nandni was on a hat-trick – for the second time in this season –in the final over of the powerplay when she sent back Anushka Sharma (35) and Ash Gardner (0).

It looked very grim for the Giants at 38/3 but the Aussies ensured a revival. Wareham walked out and played positively while Mooney dug deep. It resulted in a 61-run that kept the scoreboard ticking.

DC hit back with a double strike through Henry as Wareham and Bharti Fulmali (0) were sent back within the same over. Kashvee Gautam played an important cameo, scoring 18 off 10, to support Mooney, who also picked up pace to record her second WPL fifty of the season – both coming against DC. They finished with 168/7 but it did not prove to be enough against the Capitals.

During the season, Delhi have had problems in chasing games down this season and have lost to the Giants twice in the last over as Devine defended runs both times, but this time no such heroics meant DC paved an easy path to the final.

Brief scores: Gujarat Giants 168/7 (Beth Mooney 62*, Georgia Wareham 35, Chinelle Henry 3/35); Delhi Capitals 169/3 in 13.4 overs (Lizelle Lee 43, Jemimah Rodrigues 41, Georgia Wareham 2/28). DC beat GG by 7 wkts.