Shafali and Jonassen power DC into playoffs

Shafali Verma and Jess Jonassen smashed merciless unbeaten fifties to steer Delhi Capitals (DC) into the WPL 2025 playoffs with a nine-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday. It was RCB's fourth defeat in a row, and they ended up without a single win in the Bengaluru leg of the tournament.

Ellyse Perry once again led RCB's fight after they were sent in, and scored an unbeaten 60 to help the side post 147 for 5, but it wasn't enough against the table-toppers. DC rode on the efforts of Shikha Pandey and debutant left-arm spinner Shree Charani, who picked up two wickets apiece.

The chase though got off on a tricky note for DC, who lost Meg Lanning in the third over, but Shafali and Jonassen put on an unbroken 146 for the second wicket, off just 77 balls, to silence the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. DC romped home with 27 balls remaining.

Perry came into this game with three fifties in RCB's first five games, and she was once again central to her team's fortunes on a slow surface. While there were starts from Danni Wyatt-Hodge (21 off 18) and Raghvi Bist (33 off 32), neither went on to a big score. It was left to Perry to anchor the innings and keep the scorecard ticking at a healthy rate.

Coming in after Pandey dismissed Smriti Mandhana in the second over, Perry was up and running in Pandey's next over by crashing a wide half-volley over the covers for four. She then hit a six each off spinners Jonassen, Charani and Minnu Mani.

Perry put on a brisk 44 with Wyatt-Hodge for the second wicket, and 66 with Bist for the third. With Bist struggling to middle the ball, however, that partnership consumed 54 balls.

Perry reached her fourth fifty of the season, off 37 balls, in the 14th over. At the end of the 16th over, RCB were 119 for 2 and eyeing a strong finish. But they fell apart around Perry, scoring just 28 in the last four overs for the loss of three wickets. Perry only faced seven balls in the last five overs, scoring eight runs off them.

With 295 runs in six innings, Perry has overtaken Nat Sciver-Brunt to become the tournament's leading run-scorer.