Ahead of the WPL final, Mithali Raj notes Jemimah Rodrigues's return to form is due to playing more textbook shots. This change is crucial as DC faces RCB, with both teams on the cusp of making history in the title clash.
Ahead of the 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) title clash between Delhi Capitals (DC) and 2024 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), former Indian captain Mithali Raj pointed out how shifting from unorthodox, innovative shots to textbook cricketing shots helped DC skipper Jemimah Rodrigues turn around her fortunes.
History on the Line in WPL Title Clash
History will be made on both sides when four-time finalists DC face the 2024 champions. On one side is the scenario of DC winning their first-ever franchise cricket title under Jemimah after three heartbreaks, and on the other side is RCB capturing their third franchise cricket title and completing a rare WPL-IPL double, holding both titles at the same time. To guide DC to their maiden trophy, Jemimah will hold the key, having made 207 runs in nine innings at an average of 29.57, with a strike rate of 138.92, including a fifty. Her Navi Mumbai leg was horrific, having made just 41 runs in four innings, ironically at the same venue where she had cracked an epic 127* against Australia in the World Cup semifinal. However, in Vadodara, Jemimah has turned around things for the better, scoring 166 runs in five innings at an average of 55.33, with a strike rate of over 138, including a fifty.
Mithali Raj on Jemimah's 'Cricketing Shots' Revival
Speaking on 'Match Centre Live', JioStar expert Mithali said, "In the last couple of innings, we have seen that Jemimah is now trying to play more cricketing shots. She does not really start off with the sweep or the scoop shots that she got out to during the group stage. I think the little alteration she has made to her game has really paid dividends. Their entire batting unit is now trying to change how they approach their innings, trying to play more cricketing shots through the line, whether it is Shafali (Verma) or Lizelle Lee. Jemimah Rodrigues, too, is using her feet a lot more, trying to reach out to the pitch of the ball, which shows the intent to stay at the crease and score runs."
DC's Bowling Strategy Against Smriti Mandhana
She also spoke on how DC could use two of their off-spinners, Sneh Rana and Minnu Mani, against RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana, who has been vulnerable against this type of bowling. "They might use one (off-spinner) in the powerplay just to see if Smriti Mandhana falls to that plan. But before that, Chinelle Henry is there. And Marizanne Kapp is someone that Smriti Mandhana has spoken very highly about. That one bowler is someone she finds challenging and difficult to score runs against. So, how she handles Marizanne Kapp in the first couple of overs will be key, because the spinners, of course, will come a little later, unless Delhi Capitals straight up use an off-spinner in the second over," she concluded.
Squads
Delhi Capitals Women Squad: Lizelle Lee(w), Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues(c), Marizanne Kapp, Chinelle Henry, Niki Prasad, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma, Alana King, Taniya Bhatia, Lucy Hamilton, Pragati Singh, Eddla Srujana
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Squad: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana(c), Georgia Voll, Richa Ghosh(w), Radha Yadav, Nadine de Klerk, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Dayalan Hemalatha, Prathyoosha Kumar, Gautami Naik, Prema Rawat. (ANI)
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