Delhi Capitals have appointed Jemimah Rodrigues as their new captain for the Women’s Premier League, marking a leadership shift ahead of the new cycle. Co-owner Parth Jindal highlighted the need for a fresh beginning and emphasised the value of having an Indian player lead the side, a vision that paved the way for Jemimah’s elevation.
The appointment also saw Rodrigues create history. At 25 years and 127 days, she has become the youngest captain the WPL has seen, overtaking Smriti Mandhana, who assumed leadership of Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the age of 26 years and 230 days.
Meanwhile, in her first match in charge, Jemimah won the toss and elected to bowl first at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. Calling the stadium a special place, the youngster noted that responsibility usually brings out the best in her and is excited to work with an energetic group of players.
“We are going to have a bowl first. Hundred percent, DY Patil is always special for me. I made my Test debut here, won my first World Cup here, and now I’m leading Delhi for the first time on this ground - so it means a lot. I really enjoy leading. I’ve been captaining my state side since I was 16, so those experiences help. Responsibility brings the best out of me, and my team has taken a lot of pressure off me. I know they’ll back me no matter what, and that makes it a lot of fun. There’s some fresh energy in this group which I’m really excited about.” Jemimah said after the toss.
MI vs DC Playing XI
Delhi Capitals Women (Playing XI): Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma
Mumbai Indians Women (Playing XI): Amelia Kerr, G Kamalini (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Nicola Carey, Sajeevan Sajana, Amanjot Kaur, Poonam Khemnar, Triveni Vasistha, Shabnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta