Delhi Capitals banking on their top-order to finally go one better after three straight runners-up finishes.
For the third consecutive season, they finished second. The Delhi Capitals (DC) advanced straight to the final after winning the league stage. Meg Lanning, who guided DC to the final in each of the first three seasons, was let go. The reins have been given to Jemimah Rodrigues, the vice-captain from the previous cycle. Although Rodrigues has captained Mumbai on the domestic circuit, replacing Lanning is one of the most difficult positions in the sport.
Australia’s all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, a retained player who withdrew following the auction, will be absent from DC. Alana King, a legspinner, takes her position. Chinelle Henry, a seam-bowling all-rounder from the West Indies, was selected by DC at the auction and will play a bigger part in Sutherland’s absence.
Additionally, DC made every effort to reclaim their left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, who was a member of the Indian team that won the World Cup. Additionally, they feature two of the most promising young players in the league: Lucy Hamilton, a 19-year-old uncapped left-arm quick from Australia, and Deeya Yadav, a 16-year-old batter from Haryana.
They adjusted their support crew off the pitch. Anju Jain, a former India coach who spent the first two seasons with UP Warriorz, came as an assistant coach, and Anagha Deshpande, a successful coach for Uttarakhand on the local circuit, was named fielding coach.
Due to a nearly identical South African captain, Laura Wolvaardt, DC’s top order is strong despite Lanning’s departure. There would be great expectations for her to form a potent combo at the top with Shafali Verma after her impressive performances at the World Cup last year. Lizelle Lee, who retired from international cricket in 2022 but is coming off a fantastic WBBL, is another explosive wicketkeeper batter for DC. Apart from that, the team appears stable despite the few changes because it has many players with a variety of skills.
Indian quick bowling is DC’s squad’s one obvious vulnerability. DC chose the underappreciated Nandani Sharma, who plays domestic cricket for Uttarakhand, after letting go of Shikha Pandey, the most successful Indian seamer in the WPL. Henry and Marizanne Kapp will bear a lot of the burden because Hamilton lacks experience in subcontinental settings.