"Delhi is stronger than RCB on paper": Saba Karim on WPL finals

Delhi Capitals will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the grand finale of the fourth season of the WPL at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium today. The Delhi-based franchise would be eyeing its first trophy after falling short in the previous three tournament finals. This time, it has a new leader, the Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues, whose resilience and character have stood out in what has been a very up-and-down tournament for the side.

DC started with two losses and then had a win over UPW, following which came another defeat, ending a poor first half. Following that, DC secured two back-to-back wins over heavyweights Mumbai Indians (MI) and RCB before again going down to Gujarat Giants. However, a win over UPW gave them the eliminator berth, and they avenged both their previous losses to GG by chasing down 169 without breaking a sweat, courtesy of a fine stand from Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma.

Speaking on JioHotstar, JioStar expert Saba Karim notes that the Delhi Capitals are the most consistent team in the WPL, having reached the finals in all three previous seasons but lost each time.

He said that the Delhi Capitals are a stronger side than the RCB on paper, and this season could be the one where they finally turn their fate around in the finals. He praised the team's positive environment and expected Delhi to be the first team to qualify. He feels that Delhi has ticked all the boxes ahead of the finals and that this is finally the season for them.

"Hopefully, it happens for Delhi this time around. This is the fourth season of the TATA WPL, and the Delhi Capitals have been the most consistent team. Finals have been the one big hurdle they've yet to cross, that perhaps be down to nerves, preparation, or execution on the day. But this is a golden opportunity. They're playing under a new captain, the atmosphere in the team is very good, and I thought Delhi would be the first team to qualify, even though they had to take a different route this year. The way they performed in the eliminator, I feel they have all the bases covered. On paper, Delhi Capitals looks like a stronger team than the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They have a lot of options. Anything could happen in the final; both teams are very strong. Let's see who wins the battle between the two best friends," he said.

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)