Central Delhi Queens secured their first victory of the Women’s Delhi Premier League (WDPL) 2026 after defeating North Delhi Strikers Women by just three runs in a tense contest at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Monika’s composed innings with the bat and a disciplined bowling effort helped Central Delhi defend 125, ending their three-match losing streak.
Monika Anchors Central Delhi Innings
Central Delhi Queens made a steady start through Deeksha Sharma and Nidhi Mahto, who added 27 runs for the opening wicket. Deeksha scored 16 from 13 balls before Apeksha Anand struck twice in quick succession, removing both openers to put Central Delhi under pressure.
Arushi Goel and Monika rebuilt the innings with a valuable 44-run partnership. Goel contributed 22 before being run out, while Monika held the innings together with a well-crafted 47 off 42 balls, hitting six boundaries.
Captain Soni Yadav remained unbeaten on 10 as Central Delhi finished with 125/7 from their 20 overs.
Apeksha Anand was the standout bowler for North Delhi, producing outstanding figures of 4/17 in four overs. Shivani Jangid claimed one wicket, while the remaining bowlers kept the scoring under control with economical spells.
Ayushi Soni Keeps North Delhi in the Chase
North Delhi Strikers struggled to build momentum early after losing Armeet Kaur cheaply. Shivi Sharma provided stability with 36 from 33 deliveries before Ayushi Soni produced a fighting captain’s knock.
Ayushi struck 51 from 40 balls, including four boundaries and a six, keeping North Delhi firmly in contention as the required rate climbed.
Her dismissal, however, shifted the momentum back towards Central Delhi.
Central Delhi Hold Their Nerve
The closing overs produced a dramatic finish as North Delhi continued to push for victory.
Run-outs of Nazma Khan and Samaira Raghav increased the pressure before late boundaries from Reshika Beniwal and Archana brought the equation down to six runs from the final three deliveries.
Deeksha Sharma, entrusted with the final over, recovered after conceding an early boundary and kept her composure to deny North Delhi the remaining runs, sealing a thrilling three-run victory.
Sumiti Soni led the bowling attack with figures of 1/15, while Nidhi Mahto claimed 1/19. Deeksha Sharma also picked up a wicket, with the remaining bowlers contributing disciplined spells to complete the successful defence.
Monika: We Must Build on This Momentum
After helping Central Delhi register their first victory of the season, Monika stressed the importance of carrying the momentum into the final league matches.
“It feels really good to get our first win after three defeats. We just need to maintain this momentum and try to win our last two matches as well.”
She explained that the team’s approach was simply to stay positive despite losing wickets regularly.
“There was no specific plan. We just wanted to score as many runs as possible. The wickets were falling regularly, and there was pressure, so the main focus was to stay positive and contribute to the team.”
Monika also highlighted the value of playing consecutive matches.
“Playing back-to-back matches gives you a lot of positives. We learn a lot from every game, including the matches we lose. Those experiences help us understand our mistakes and improve as a team.”
Looking ahead to the remainder of the league stage, she added:
“We will try our best to win both the matches and hopefully qualify for the playoffs.”
The victory keeps Central Delhi Queens’ playoff hopes alive as they prepare for their final two league fixtures.
