Jemimah Rodrigues becomes the youngest-ever WPL captain at 25. (Photo: IG)
India star Jemimah Rodrigues created history on Saturday by becoming the youngest captain in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), surpassing Smriti Mandhana’s long-standing record. At 25 years and 127 days, Rodrigues took charge of Delhi Capitals in their WPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai.
The previous record was held by Smriti Mandhana, who captained Royal Challengers Bangalore at 26 years and 230 days during the inaugural WPL season in 2023.
Rodrigues led Delhi Capitals for the first time after former skipper Meg Lanning moved to UP Warriorz ahead of the WPL 2026 season. Winning the toss, Jemimah opted to bowl first against Mumbai Indians, marking a significant milestone in her leadership journey.
Expressing her excitement after the toss, Jemimah highlighted her emotional connection with the venue and her passion for leadership.
“Hundred per cent, 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,” she said.
“I really enjoy leading. I’ve been captaining my state side since I was 16. Responsibility brings the best out of me, and there’s some fresh energy in this group which I’m really excited about.”
Delhi Capitals fielded four overseas players Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Chinelle Henry, and Lizelle Lee, with Nandini Sharma making her WPL debut.
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, made one change following their loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore, bringing in Triveni Vasistha in place of Saika Ishaque.
Mumbai Indians XI: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Amelia Kerr, G Kamalini (WK), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Nicola Carey, S Sajana, Amanjot Kaur, Poonam Khemnar, Sanskruti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Triveni Vasistha.
Delhi Capitals XI: Jemimah Rodrigues (C), Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee (WK), Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Chinelle Henry, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, N Shree Charani, Nandini Sharma.
Jemimah’s rise as a leader comes on the back of her unforgettable performance in the 2025 Women’s World Cup semi-final against Australia, where she scored a match-winning 127 not out off 134 balls while chasing 339.
Reflecting on that knock, Rodrigues revealed that an old conversation with Virat Kohli helped shape her calm approach under pressure. Recalling Kohli’s iconic 82 against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup*, she said his words stayed with her during the semi-final.
“You know Jemimah, even if I want to take credit for that knock, I can’t. I was just grateful that God chose me at that moment,” Kohli had told her.
Rodrigues said she entered a ‘Zen mode’ during the innings, focusing solely on the next delivery rather than milestones or celebrations a mindset that now defines her approach as both batter and captain.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience reporting on Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes journalism plays a crucial role in amplifying unheard voices and bringing attention to issues that truly matter. Sofia has contributed articles to The New Indian Express, Youth Ki Awaaz, and Maktoob Media. She is also a recipient of the 2025 Laadli Media Awards for gender sensitivity. Beyond the newsroom, she is a music enthusiast who enjoys singing. Connect with Sofia on X: https://x.com/SBCism
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