WPL 2025: DC Coach Batty Denies Existence of Mental Block
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Synopsis
In the 2025 WPL final, the Delhi Capitals lost to Mumbai Indians, marking their third consecutive runner-up finish. Head coach Jonathan Batty defended his players against claims of a mental block, emphasizing their positive mindset and strong performance.
Key Takeaways
- DC finished as runners-up for the third time in WPL.
- Batty defended the team's performance post-final.
- Positive mindset emphasized by head coach.
- Strong bowling efforts kept MI to 149 runs.
- Batting unit struggled in the chase, finishing at 141/9.
Mumbai, March 16 (NationPress) For the third consecutive time, the Delhi Capitals ended up as the runners-up in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) after facing an eight-run defeat against the Mumbai Indians in the 2025 final at the Brabourne Stadium.
Head coach Jonathan Batty defended his team following another heart-wrenching loss in a title match, despite the team leading the league stage, by dismissing any claims of a mental block within the Meg Lanning-led squad.
"The girls have maintained a very positive attitude, and I can't find fault with them. There has been no negative chatter like 'Oh, we've messed up the last two finals, and we are going to carry that baggage into this one,' none of that. I believed they were genuinely positive and confident. The girls performed excellently during training.
"I don't perceive it as a mental block at all. Just look at how we executed our bowling and fielding in the first half, restricting them to 149 on that pitch. Considering what transpired throughout the week, with the eliminator and other matches here, we anticipated around 180 to be a par score, so we were quite content with that.
"The players were ready, they were fine, and I believe there was no mental block whatsoever. But full credit goes to the opposition; they outperformed us and rightfully won the match. When chasing 150, one expects the batting unit to play positively and aggressively, and typically, you would win that game comfortably - I think 180 was a fair target on that pitch. Kudos to the Mumbai Indians; they never allowed us to take control of the run rate," Batty stated.
In the final, the seasoned pair of Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen, along with young left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, claimed two wickets each to limit MI to 149/7 in 20 overs, though they did allow captain Harmanpreet Kaur to score 66.
However, in the pursuit of 150, apart from Marizanne’s 40, Jemimah Rodrigues’ 30, and Niki Prasad’s unbeaten 25, none of the DC batters rose to the occasion, ultimately finishing at 141/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
Batty also acknowledged that it would take time for them to analyze what went wrong, although he admitted that the pressure of the final could have affected the players. "It will require time to reflect on where it all fell apart. Two high-quality teams went head-to-head in a tight contest. In significant finals, perhaps the occasion influenced the players' mindset."
