Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], January 28 (ANI): The Delhi Capitals (DC) came agonisingly close to pulling off a memorable chase but fell short by three runs against the Gujarat Giants in a high-scoring Women's Premier League 2026 encounter at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, on Tuesday.

Chasing 175, Delhi Capitals finished on 171 for 8, with 20-year-old Niki Prasad producing a fearless counter-attacking knock of 47 off just 25 deliveries, as per a release from DC.

Walking in with the Capitals reeling at 100 for 6, Prasad stitched a vital 70-run partnership with Sneh Rana off only 31 balls to drag the contest deep, before Sophie Devine defended eight runs in the final over to seal the result for the opposition.

Earlier in the evening, Gujarat Giants posted 174 for 9 after being put in to bat. For Delhi Capitals, Shree Charani was the standout with figures of 4 for 31, as the bowling unit pulled things back well after the middle overs and kept the target within reach.

Reflecting on the situation when she walked in to bat, Prasad said, 'When I went in, we were definitely in a very tricky situation, but in my mind it was clear that if I could stay there and keep the momentum going, we still had a chance. Once Sneh came in and she started getting boundaries straight away, it gave me a lot of confidence, and we both spoke about keeping that 12-runs-an-over momentum alive.'

Speaking about the belief that grew during her partnership with Sneh Rana, she added, 'From the minute I walked in, I had that belief that we could cross the line. That one over from Sophie Devine, where we got a couple of boundaries, really lifted us, and from there our conversation was simple. We wanted to keep getting boundaries, keep the momentum going and not let the pressure get to us.'

Opening up about her shot selection and approach against experienced bowlers, Prasad said, 'We realised quite early that the bowlers were going a little slower and a little shorter, so I wanted to make sure that whatever contact I made, whether it was in the air or along the ground, it went into the gaps. I used my feet, shuffled a bit and tried to chip it over the fielders because once the ball hit the ground, it was racing away to the boundary.'

Reflecting on falling short in the final over, she said, 'It is disappointing that we couldn't cross the line today, especially when we were so close. But for me, this is a big learning. I will go back, train harder and make sure that the next time I am in a similar situation, I am able to finish the game for the team.'

Speaking about the faith shown in her by the franchise and leadership group, Prasad added, 'It gives me a lot of confidence knowing that such a big franchise has shown so much faith in me. Coming into the WPL, I was confident and just waiting for that one opportunity to go out and finish a game for the Delhi Capitals. Unfortunately, it didn't happen today, but I will make sure I am ready when the next chance comes.'

Delhi Capitals will play their final league-stage match of the Women's Premier League 2026 against UP Warriorz on Sunday, February 1. (ANI)