The former coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC), Ricky Ponting, revealed his prediction that Indian opener Abhishek Sharma will become the leading run-getter from the T20 World Cup 2026. He looked at the time in 2018 when they were together in the Delhi Capitals, as he had tried to convince the franchise owners to hold onto the southpaw and not let him go. 

Abhishek Sharma, who made a thrilling 19-ball 46* in his IPL debut, smashed 63 runs in his first season before being traded to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The left-handed batter’s first breakthrough season came in 2022 for the Orange Army, where he notched up 426 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 133.12, thanks to two fifties.

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“I was his first IPL coach. He debuted with me, I think, as a 17-year-old at Delhi and made an immediate impact. I think he hit his first ball for four or six straight back over the bowler's head with that classical sort of straight bat and held the pose. And you could just see then as a 17-year-old that there was something extra special.” Ponting expressed on ‘ICC review.’

Ricky Ponting makes massive prediction on Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek’s numbers since his T20I debut are incredibly impressive, with 1297 runs in 37 innings at an average of 37.05 and a strike rate of 194.74, shouldering on eight half-centuries and two centuries at the best score of 135 runs.

“We ended up trading him away from Delhi, but I pleaded and pleaded and pleaded and said, please don't do this. We've got to [keep him], there's an absolute superstar in the making here. And that's what it's turned out to be. I've got really high hopes for him this time.” Ponting addressed.

“(It’s) a real positive to be honest. He can be the leading run-scorer and potentially the Player of the Tournament. That's how good I think he is. And if he does, that makes India even harder to beat. If he doesn't, then they're as vulnerable as anybody else. So that's how important I think he is to this World Cup for India.” The former World Cup-winning captain concluded.

Jemimah Rodrigues (captain of Delhi Capitals) received an INR 12 lakh fine due to a slow-over rate violation following her team's 2026 WPL match vs. Gujarat Giants. As a result of failing to complete their overs in a timely manner, the league held her responsible for the infraction.

It was quite a tense match; the Gujarat Giants scored 174 in the allotted 20 overs and thus finished with a total of 9 runs. The highlights were a cool-headed 58 runs scored by Australian Beth Mooney off 46 balls, and additional runs were provided by Anushka Sharma, who scored 39 off 28. On behalf of Delhi Capitals, the mighty Sree Charani was able to wreak havoc with his impressive bowling, with 4 wickets taken for 31 runs. Leading the charge with a 70-run partnership were Niki Prasad (47 not out) and Sneh Rana (29 not out); however, the Delhi Capitals found themselves needing to score on the last ball of the game in order to win the match.

In the end, Delhi fell just three runs short of victory, thanks to two extraordinary performances by Sophie Devine and Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Devine took 4 wickets for 37 runs, while Rajeshwari Gayakwad added 3 wickets for 20 runs, securing victory for the Gujarat Giants in the final over of play. With this victory over Delhi, the Gujarat Giants moved into second position on the WPL 2026 standings, and Delhi will look to regroup before playing their next match.

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Over-Rate Penalty Overshadows Delhi’s Hard-Fought Battle

Gujarat Giants were well prepared for the challenges they faced with their lineup consisting of players with the ability to play at the highest level. During the final overs of the match, the Giants managed to stop the Capitals from getting close to their run total, as all four of their players took individual responsibility for the match, with each of them making a meaningful contribution. While many teams are just starting to find their rhythm, the Giants' performance showcased how advanced the formation of their players is.

Despite their problems in this match, the Capitals are looking forward to a fresh start against UP Warriorz in Vadodara on February 1st. The Capitals have been without their star players in this series, so this match may be a good opportunity for them to regain some confidence and make a return to the upper tier of the WPL 2026 points table for the remainder of the series.

The WPL 2026 season is shaping up to be an interesting one for the Delhi Capitals with a number of unique squad-building strategies. Through a focus on acquiring top talents, DC has put together a "Premium Core" that has the potential to be extremely impactful with both skill and experience. This core has allowed DC to put together a high-powered and high-quality lineup with superior depth, creating an overwhelming batting lineup that can take down any bowling attack.

Like any strategy of this nature, however, it brings with it a set of concerns about depth and overall team balance; thus, in this SWOT analysis, we will take a closer look at where the DC can be headed going into the WPL 2026.

Strengths

The batting depth that Delhi Capitals will possess for the 2026 WPL may arguably be one of the most potent in all of WPL history. The Opening combination of Shafali Verma and Laura Wolvaardt will provide the Delhi Capitals with immediate dominance during the Powerplay, providing an incredible mix of Fearless Agility and technical ability. Few teams in the league can create the type of pressure this duo will create during the first six overs of the innings. In addition to the powerful first two batters, Jemimah Rodrigues will provide stability and control of the batting tempo to ensure that the innings continues to run smoothly.

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The elite all-round core of DC has propelled them to a level above other teams. Sutherland, Kapp and Henry all provide a dual threat that keeps teams guessing. The form of Sutherland makes her not only one of the most dangerous players in world cricket but also gives her the ability to win a match by herself. Even though Kapp is no longer the fastest new-ball bowler in the league, she still has an exceptional ability to take wickets early in the innings while contributing with bat as well. With these exceptional all-rounders, DC seem likely to have both batting and bowling depth and flexibility, which is vital to T20 success.

Weaknesses

One of the biggest risks for DC is their and top-loaded budget structure. With such a significant chunk of their salary cap allocated to four high-performers, they have little margin for error. A single injury, poor performance or unavailability of one of the core players could mean having to rely on less experienced replacements. Much of the success will depend on how the budget players such as Taniya Bhatia, Minnu Mani and Nandani Sharma hold up under pressure.

Another major issue concerns the lack of depth with Indian fast bowlers. Although DC have all the top overseas fast bowlers, it will be difficult for them on flat wickets and in pressure-filled situations at the death without any proven Indian quicks. In long tournaments such as the WPL, the bowling depth will likely be a major factor in consistency, which remains a significant question for DC.

Opportunities

WPL 2026 has provided an excellent opportunity for young Indian talents in the Delhi Capitals to rise up. Sixteen-year-old Deeya Yadav, who is already referred to as a 'young Shafali', could potentially break out as a star player if she is handled correctly. Players such as Niki Prasad and Shree Charani have clear pathways to development in a very high profile team environment.

The all-rounder-heavy squad composition provides a lot of flexibility for Delhi Capitals to adapt quickly to different opposition or conditions. This could create smarter team selection processes, better management of workloads and a much deeper batting line-up for the Delhi Capitals. If they utilise their structure correctly, it could provide a tactical advantage for Delhi Capitals as opposed to team structures that are more rigid.

Threats

The most significant external threat to the Delhi Capitals would be the planning of their opposition teams in relation to how to negate the batting firepower of the Delhi Capitals early in the match. Teams will likely put considerable focus on stopping the marquee players of the Delhi Capitals and forcing their less expensive players into critical roles early in the match. The over-reliance on marquee names may put the Delhi Capitals at risk of falling behind if the opposing teams are able to disrupt the top order.

In addition, the pressure of expecting the Delhi Capitals to win could create a psychological hurdle for them to overcome. With one of the strongest teams on paper, anything less than a title run will clearly be viewed as a failure for the Delhi Capitals. Therefore, how they handle the pressure of knockout matches will be critical to their success in the tournament.

Conclusion

DC are an exciting team with the potential to be one of the top contenders for the WPL 2026 Championship. With a core strategy of emphasizing premium quality, their batting prowess and all around strength creates a significant amount of upside. Whether or not DC can convert this potential into championships will depend on their squad depth, especially on how well they balance their bowling. If they can keep all of their stars healthy and their younger players can step up to the challenge, the DC may be the team everyone else is trying to beat.

Probable Playing XI for DC

Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Chinelle Henry, Niki Prasad, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Sneh Rana, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma

The Women’s Premier League 2026 is yet to begin, but the tournament has already delivered major talking points. Just days before the January 9 opener, several big names have withdrawn, forcing franchises into late reshuffles and opening the door for fresh talent to step into the spotlight.

Squad reshuffle as overseas stars miss WPL 2026

Australian all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland have both pulled out of the season citing personal reasons. Perry’s withdrawal is a significant blow for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, given her towering influence in the league. Across 25 WPL matches, Perry has scored 972 runs at an extraordinary average of 64, often anchoring RCB’s innings in pressure situations.

RCB have named Indian all-rounder Sayali Satghare as her replacement at a reserve price of ₹30 lakh. While Satghare has limited WPL experience so far, this opportunity could prove career-defining as she looks to cement her place at the highest level.

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For Delhi Capitals, Sutherland’s exit leaves a noticeable gap in their all-round department. The franchise has responded by bringing in Australian leg-spinner Alana King for ₹60 lakh. King, who previously played for UP Warriorz, offers control, wicket-taking threat, and vast international exposure, strengthening Delhi’s spin arsenal.

Withdrawals open doors for new talent in WPL 2026

UP Warriorz have also been forced into a change after USA pacer Tara Norris opted out following her selection for the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Nepal. The franchise quickly roped in Australian all-rounder Charli Knott at ₹10 lakh, backing her domestic experience and versatility.

With the fourth edition of the Women's Premier League set to run until February 5 across Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, these changes highlight the league’s growing global pull. While fans will miss familiar superstars, WPL 2026 now promises new heroes, fresh narratives, and opportunities for emerging players to make their mark on the biggest stage.

KL Rahul can get back the role which he discarded a season ago. It is now heavily speculated that the experienced keeper-batter can be appointed as the skipper of Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). DC is expected to announce their skipper's name soon.

KL Rahul is not only known for his batting or wicketkeeping but also well recognised for his leadership qualities. During the stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he was the captain for them. After the departure from the franchise, he operated only as a pure keeper-batter for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025 season. Ahead of a fresh campaign, the 33-year-old can be designated as the leader of the Delhi-based franchise.

In the previous season, DC was performing well during the initial stage of the tournament. But, when the race for the play-offs got more intensified, DC started to lose momentum. With seven wins and six defeats, DC concluded the season as the 5th team in the IPL 2025 points tally. In their last 5 matches, they managed to win on only one occasion. Mumbai Indians, who were the 4th team in the table, had only one extra point than Delhi Capitals (15).

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KL Rahul can get captaincy role for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026 season

Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, there were multiple rumours about Rahul's future in the club. According to reports, there were multiple interests for the versatile cricketer. In the end, Rahul remains in Delhi for another season. He was heavily involved with the franchise officials before the IPL 2026 auction as well.

Rahul appeared as one of the most consistent run scorers in the previous season. In 13 IPL 2025 matches for Delhi Capitals, the right-handed batter scored 539 runs at an average of 53.90. He did well for Team India as well in recent times in the One Day International format.

For the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026), Delhi Capitals (DC) created a strong batting lineup. For INR 2 crore, the inclusion of England opener Ben Duckett into the squad was an interesting pick made by the franchise during the auction. DC was determined to sign the attacking batter.

But why were they so eager about signing the English batter? KL Rahul may be the biggest reason behind the move. Ahead of the auction, there were some speculations about Rahul's future in Delhi Capitals. If the rumors are to be believed, then there were a fair amount of chances for the Indian keeper-batter to shift his IPL address.

The reality is, KL Rahul is in the Delhi-based franchise and might have influenced the franchise's bidding strategy during the audition. Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal reveals that KL Rahul wanted Ben Duckett on the team. "We spoke to him, and the list was communicated. KL really wanted Duckett; he's got his man," Jindal said. 

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Watch the interview where Parth Jindal spoke about KL Rahul's interest in Ben Duckett:

The Delhi Capitals co-owner, #ParthJindal, speaks on the areas where #DelhiCapitals needed to strengthen and reveals #KLRahul and #AxarPatel’s auction wishlist! 📋#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/CaWWgMVVZ8

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 18, 2025

Delhi Capitals IPL 2026 full squad:

Axar Patel (c), KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Nitish Rana, Auqib Nabi Dar, Pathum Nissanka, Ben Duckett, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, and Kyle Jamieson.

Players purchased by DC in the IPL 2026 auction: 

Auqib Dar (Rs 8.4 crore), Ben Duckett (Rs 2 crore), David Miller (Rs 2 crore), Pathum Nissanka (Rs 4 crore), Lungi Ngidi (Rs 2 crore), Kyle Jamieson (Rs 2 crore), Prithvi Shaw (Rs 75 lakh), and Sahil Parakh (Rs 30 lakh).

Probable Playing XI:

KL Rahul, Ben Duckett (WK) (Overseas), Nitish Rana/Abishek Porel, Axar Patel (C), Tristan Stubbs (Overseas), David Miller (Overseas), Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc (Overseas), Auqib Nabi, Kuldeep Yadav, and T Natarajan. 

During the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Delhi Capitals (DC) had two halves of the campaign. They ended the tournament in fifth position in the event with seven victories in 14 clashes at a net run rate of +0.111. However, they could have sweetly progressed into the playoffs, having won five of the last six encounters.

Meanwhile, they faced five defeats in the last six fixtures of the competition, which saw the Axar Patel-led side lose the momentum and fail to qualify for the event. For the franchise, their opening batter and the wicket-keeper, KL Rahul, was the biggest contributor with the help of 539 runs in 13 innings at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate of 149, thanks to three fifties and one century.

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Abhishek Porel was equally good at the top for his decent performance of 301 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 146.82 with the help of one century, while Tristan Stubbs has slammed 300 runs in 13 innings at an average of 50 and a strike rate of over 150 with the best score of undefeated 41 runs.

Delhi Capitals’ strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

The Capitals started the auction with the signing of David Miller for the base price of INR 2 crore and ended it with another base price buy of Kyle Jamieson at INR 1.5 crore. In between, even with a small purse, they perhaps made use of the auction beautifully and got the required players.

DC full squad ahead of IPL 2026

KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Ben Duckett, Prithvi Shaw, Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Pathum Nissanka, Ashutosh Sharma, David Miller, Sameer Rizvi, Sahil Parakh, Axar Patel, Vipraj Nigam, Kyle Jamieson, Auqib Nabi, Madhav Tiwari, T Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi, Dushmantha Chameera.

Rahul is anticipated to open with either Ben Duckett or Pathum Nissanka for the next season. All of those three players are suitable options for wicket-keeping. Even if they want, they can go with Prithvi Shaw at the opening position, which will open up an extra foreign slot for the Capitals at the top order.

At number three, Delhi can have Nitish Rana, followed by Tristan Stubbs at number four. Axar Patel will walk at number five in the batting order. One of the positions where the Capitals struggled in the last season of the IPL was their lower middle order. And this year, they will have the services of David Miller for the spot.

Both Stubbs and Miller can be brilliant spin hitters, along with their thunderbolt fielding, which is also an important aspect in the shortest format of the game. Ashutosh Sharma will walk at number seven along with Vipra Singh at 8.

There is no doubt of Mitchell Stark and T Natarajan being part of the playing 11 along with Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep’s four overs, along with Axar’s four, will take care of the middle overs for the Capitals. Natarajan could not do well in the death overs last season despite being paid INR 10 crore in the last season. He hopes to turn the tables this year.

If Delhi goes with one of the foreign players at the top, then they have to go with Auqib Nabi as the impact player. Otherwise, they will have the option of either picking Lungi Ngidi, Dushmantha Chameera, or Kyle Jamieson in the eleven.

DC’s strongest playing 11 for IPL 2026 after mini auction

KL Rahul (wk.), Ben Duckett/Prithvi Shaw, Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel (c), David Miller, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Auqib Nabi/Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc.

Impact Player: T Natarajan.

Just hours after being sold to his former franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Delhi Capitals (DC), in the auction of the 2026 season, Prithvi Shaw has found himself involved in another controversy. On December 16, he submitted an affidavit before the Mumbai court, claiming that the plea by social media influencer Sapna Gill was false, frivolous, and vexatious.

Prithvi Shaw also addressed that Gill filed the pleas with the intention of only maligning and harassing him, due to his public image and celebrity status. His response has come to the original plea of Gill, which was placed before the court after the latter’s brawl with Shah at the Mumbai pub two years ago. The argument between them started over the demand to click selfies.

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Gill was arrested at the primary stage after the FIR was registered before her lawyer, Ali Khan Deshmukh, and Gill herself claimed that the police didn’t register the cross-complaint against Prithvi, which involved charges of molestation and outraging modesty.

Prithvi Shaw lands in new controversy post being signed by DC in IPL 2026

Gill, later on, appeared before the Andheri magistrate’s court to seek direction from the police to register the FIR. However, the police told the court that no offence was committed against the Indian opening batter and others. The magistrate then ordered a fresh enquiry by the police under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Gill challenged the order with a revision petition before the Din Doshi court in 2024.

Shaw has also accused Gill of seeking publicity and attempting to extort money from him by making false claims. His reply attracted a response from Gill’s lawyer, who claimed that it didn’t cover a single iota of evidence and alibi in support of the case, which has now been adjourned to March 31, when the lawyers of both sides argue the plea.

Prithvi, after missing the IPL signing for the last year, gets back to his Capitals, for whom he has smashed 1892 runs in 79 IPL innings at an average of 23.94 and a strike rate of 147.46 with 14 half-centuries.

Delhi Capitals (DC) made some strong and bold moves at the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Their biggest signing was uncapped Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Dar, whom they bought for ₹8.40 crore. Auqib came into the auction with a base price of just ₹30 lakh, but a bidding war followed. Rajasthan Royals started the bidding, later Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad joined in, but DC stayed till the end and won the bid.

Along with young talent, DC also focused on adding experience to the team. They signed South African veteran David Miller for ₹2 crore and England wicketkeeper-batter Ben Duckett for ₹2 crore. Miller is a very experienced IPL player. He has scored 3,077 runs in 141 IPL matches while playing for Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, and Lucknow Super Giants. He has one century and 13 half-centuries, with a strong strike rate of over 138.

Former India cricketer Anil Kumble praised Delhi Capitals for signing David Miller. Speaking on JioHotstar, he said, “Experience is something the Delhi Capitals clearly lacked. While the uncapped batters did perform well last season, Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam, in particular, played the finisher's role effectively. Adding someone with David Miller's experience and ability is a big plus.” He also added, “Pairing him with Tristan Stubbs, his South African teammate, strengthens the middle order significantly. At that price, it's an absolute steal for the Delhi Capitals. I thought Gujarat Titans might look to bring him back, but they seem likely to stick with Washington Sundar for that role. Overall, it's a genius move by Delhi Capitals to add experience, something they were missing last season.”

See Also: IPL Auction 2026: Full squad and new bought players for Lucknow Super Giants

Delhi Capitals Bought Players at IPL 2026 Auction

Auqib Dar (₹8.40 crore), Ben Duckett (₹2 crore), David Miller (₹2 crore), Pathum Nissanka (₹4 crore), Lungi Ngidi (₹2 crore), Kyle Jamieson (₹2 crore), Prithvi Shaw (₹75 lakh), Sahil Parakh (₹30 lakh).

Delhi Capitals Full Squad for IPL 2026

Nitish Rana (traded in from RR), Abishek Porel, Ajay Mandal, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Sameer Rizvi, T Natarajan, Tripurana Vijay, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mukesh Kumar, Auqib Dar, Ben Duckett, David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Kyle Jamieson, Prithvi Shaw, Sahil Parakh.