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Jemimah Rodrigues channels India’s World Cup win to lift Delhi Capitals out of ‘chokers’ shadow: 'We’ve been best team'
Jemimah Rodrigues addressed the “chokers” tag long linked with the DC, who had lost three WPL finals, drawing a parallel with the Indian women’s cricket team.
A lot has changed for Jemimah Rodrigues in the months following the Women’s ODI World Cup semifinal. The young batting star has moved from being a reliable middle-order presence to a figure of authority, earning widespread praise for her temperament, shot-making, and ability to rise to the occasion. That upward curve has now been rewarded in a big way, with the Delhi Capitals handing her the captaincy for the upcoming Women’s Premier League season.
Rodrigues announced herself on the big stage when it mattered most, delivering a defining performance against a team renowned for its dominance in ICC tournaments. With India under intense pressure and the chase slipping away, she held her nerve and played an innings for the ages, scoring an unbeaten 127 in a record 339-run semi-final chase against Australia. Her composure and clarity turned the match on its head, firmly etching her name into the history books.
That knock did more than just win a match. It lifted the entire squad, injecting belief at a crucial moment of the tournament. India, long tagged as “chokers” in major ICC events, carried that newfound confidence into the final, held their nerves throughout, and finally ended their World Cup drought. For Rodrigues, the journey from match-winner to leader now feels like a natural progression rather than a surprise.
Replying to the Hindustan Times query during a selected media interaction, Rodrigues addressed the “chokers” tag long linked with the Delhi Capitals, who had lost three WPL finals, drawing a parallel with the Indian women’s cricket team. Despite consistent performances, both sides had faltered in finals, but she believes patience and persistence eventually brought success, as seen in India’s recent World Cup victory.
“I think DC for the last three years have played some exceptional cricket. I think we’ve been the best team in the tournament throughout the last three years and yeah, things didn’t go well in the finals of all three years, but you know, the thing about time is it changes and you never know, things just fall into place. We saw it happen with us in the World Cup. Till then, till now, everyone used to call us chokers, the Indian women’s cricket team, but things changed, and I don’t think we changed anything much," Jemimah replied to Hindustan Times' query.
The Indian women’s team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, went into last year’s ODI World Cup at home under heavy pressure. Expectations were high, and the team also carried the “chokers” tag, having fallen short in key moments of previous ICC events. That changed in 2025 against South Africa, when they stood strong, overcame the pressure, and finally proved they could win when it mattered most, shedding the label that had followed them for years.
Delhi Capitals have been one of the most consistent sides in WPL history, reaching the finals in all three seasons so far, but they have fallen short each time. In a bold move, the franchise appointed Jemimah as their new captain, ahead of Meg Lanning, one of the most successful leaders in women’s cricket.
"We keep believing that our time is now": Jemimah Rodrigues
Rodrigues has been a key figure for Delhi since being their first pick in the inaugural auction. She has played 27 WPL matches, scoring 507 runs at a strike rate of 139.67, including appearances in all three finals. On the international stage, Rodrigues has featured in 115 T20Is, amassing 2479 runs with 14 half-centuries at an average of 30.60.
Her consistent performances, leadership potential, and ability to rise in crucial matches make her a natural choice to steer Delhi Capitals toward breaking their finals curse and finally claiming the WPL title.
Rodrigues praised the Delhi Capitals for their consistent hard work and determination. She said that by staying focused and believing in themselves, the team’s moment could come when everything finally falls into place.
"We just kept working hard and kept believing and that’s what DC has also done consistently well. We keep believing that, you know, our time is now and you never know, things might just fall into place," she added.
