Gujarat Giants face in-form Delhi Capitals in near must-win contest

Delhi Capitals (DC) come into the contest against Gujarat Giants (GG) with renewed confidence, having won two of their last three matches to keep their campaign firmly on track. Their most telling result during that run was a commanding win over table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Adding to the positives, Jemimah Rodrigues is starting to find her feet in her maiden season as DC's captain with growing assurance in her tactics, and her batting lending stability to the side at a decisive stage of the tournament.

That momentum has put DC in a relatively comfortable position - they are currently third on the points table after Mumbai Indians moved to second after beating RCB. Wins in both remaining fixtures will guarantee DC a top-two finish, while even one victory could be enough depending on margins and other results. Beating GG on Tuesday would significantly ease the pressure ahead of their final league game against UP Warriorz (UPW), whereas a loss would drag DC into net-run-rate calculations and a nervous wait as the rest of the results play out.

GG, placed fourth and just behind DC, arrive with belief restored after arresting a three-match losing streak in dramatic fashion. Rajeshwari Gayakwad's spin bowling and Sophie Devine's all-round effort helped them defend the lowest total of the season in their last match, against UPW. Still, with a weaker net run-rate than most of their rivals, GG know momentum alone won't be enough - they need results, and preferably big ones, starting with this near must-win game against DC.

DC made two changes in their last fixture: Chinelle Henry came in for Lucy Hamilton, and Minnu Mani returned for the injured Deeya Yadav. Henry is likely to retain her spot, having opened the bowling and picking up two wickets at the back end against RCB.

Delhi Capitals (probable): 1 Shafali Verma, 2 Lizelle Lee (wk), 3 Jemimah Rodrigues (capt), 4 Laura Wolvaardt, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Niki Prasad, 7 Chinelle Henry, 8 Minnu Mani, 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Shree Charani, 11 Nandani Sharma

GG made a few of tweaks to their XI against UPW by bringing in opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge for the first time this season to strengthen their batting. Gayakwad, who replaced fellow left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar in that match, picked up a match-winning three-wicket haul, and is certain to keep her place.

Gujarat Giants (probable): 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Sophie Devine, 3 Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 4 Anushka Sharma, 5 Ashleigh Gardner (capt), 6 Kanika Ahuja, 7 Bharti Fulmali, 8 Kashvee Gautam, 9 Happy Kumari, 10 Renuka Singh, 11 Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Of Nandani Sharma's 13 wickets so far, nine have come at the death (overs 17 to 20) - the most by any bowler in this phase across the four seasons of the league. She has done so while conceding just 6.5 runs per over in the final few overs. This partly explains why DC have been the best team in this phase this season, leaking only 8.19 runs per over. As the competition enters its crucial period, Nandani's control late in the innings - particularly through her back-of-the-hand slower ball, which is also bringing her wickets - will be central to DC's plans.

Across editions, this has been Ash Gardner's most expensive season with the ball. In six matches so far, the GG captain has taken four wickets at an economy rate of 10.17, one of three GG bowlers to be conceding at above ten runs an over this season. While she has chipped in with two fifties and a 49 with the bat, GG would benefit further from tighter spells from their star allrounder, especially given they have been the most expensive bowling team in this WPL.

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Expect another low-scoring game in Vadodara. Batters have struggled against the low bounce and slow pace of the black-soil surface at the Kotambi Stadium. In the last two matches here, teams were bowled out for 109 and 108. It could be a cooler evening on Tuesday, with dew expected to play a part.

When these two teams met at the DY Patil Stadium earlier in this competition, a total of 414 runs were scored: Devine almost scored the league's first century, Nandani took a hat-trick, and GG snatched a four-run victory in the final over to top the table.