Winning the toss and opting to field first proved to be a successful decision for the Delhi Capitals, as their new-ball bowlers executed captain Meg Lanning’s strategy perfectly.
Marizanne Kapp and Shikha Pandey each claimed two wickets in the opening 31-run powerplay, exposing the Giants’ batting order vulnerability after their shuffle.
The DC bowlers maintained control, with Shikha nearly taking a hat-trick when she rattled Deandra Dottin’s helmet.
Pandey set a trap for Beth Mooney and Kashvee Gautam in the deep square leg region, before delivering a short ball to the new batter.
The delivery, resembling a leg cutter, bounced sharply off the pitch, striking Dottin’s helmet grill as she attempted a pull shot.
— ashik (@ashik1587212) February 25, 2025
The impact led to Dottin calling for a quick concussion check. The fact that Pandey was on a hat-trick and then delivered a headshot to the incoming batter quickly sparked a flurry of reactions on Twitter.