WPL 2026 | Match 20: Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz | Preview and Predictions

Knockout aspirants Delhi Capitals will play bottom-of-the-table UP Warriorz in Match 20 of the 2026 Women’s Premier League season at Kotambi Stadium on February 1, 2026. 

Here, we present our preview and predictions for the game.

Women’s Premier League 2026 | Match 20: DC vs UPW | 19:30 IST, 1 February 2026

If there’s one thing Jemimah Rodrigues and Co know for sure, it is this: whatever the outcome of the Gujarat Giants–Mumbai Indians clash in Match 19 may be, their knockout qualification will rest in their own hands.

If GG beat MI, the Capitals will only need to secure a win against the UP Warriorz in the final league stage fixture, while if MI beat GG, DC will still have to win but keep one eye on the net run rate.

Two commanding victories against the Mumbai Indians and the table-topping Royal Challengers Bengaluru set them up nicely for knockout qualification, but a narrow gut-wrenching three-run defeat to the Gujarat Giants in their last game has left them with all to do in this final league stage encounter.

Their batting unit as a whole has done reasonably well. Newcomer Lizelle Lee leads the DC run-scoring chart with 230 runs, while Laura Wolvaardt, Shafali Verma, and skipper Rodrigues have all crossed the 100-run mark. In the bowling department, both Nandani Sharma and Shree Charani have been class acts, taking 14 and 12 wickets, respectively.

As far as their opponents are concerned, two comprehensive defeats in their last two fixtures have resulted in the UP Warriorz becoming the first team to get eliminated this season. There have been very few positives in what has been a very disappointing campaign for Meg Lanning’s side. That said, they need several players to step up and do a job if they want to end their campaign on a positive note and spoil DC’s party in the process.

In the batting department, skipper Lanning leads the way with 248 runs in seven innings. New acquisition Phoebe Litchfield has scored 243 runs in six matches, while Harleel Deol (164 runs) has also chipped in with a couple of good knocks. However, the rest of the Warriorz batting line-up has failed miserably. 

Their bowling department has been even worse. UPW are yet to take ten wickets against a single opposition, with their recent eight-wicket haul against the Gujarat Giants currently their best outing as a unit. Sophie Ecclestone and Shikha Pandey lead their wicket-takers’ list with six wickets apiece, while Deepti Sharma sits next in line with five wickets. 

In terms of weather forecast and pitch report, conditions are expected to be clear and ideal for cricket. Unlike the DY Patil Sports Academy, runs have been hard to come by at Kotambi Stadium, with the slow nature of the wickets giving bowlers a slight edge. 

Looking ahead to this fixture, the Delhi Capitals come into this contest in a do-or-die situation, while the UP Warriorz come into this contest having already been eliminated. Despite their recent loss, DC look much more balanced and well-equipped on paper to outperform this struggling UP Warriorz side. 

Fantasy XI: Lizelle Lee, Meg Lanning, Laura Wolvaardt (c), Phoebe Litchfield, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Chinelle Henry, Marizanne Kapp, Sophie Ecclestone, Nandani Sharma (vc), Shree Charani

Venue: Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara 
Winners Prediction: Delhi Capitals