Veteran South African seam-bowling all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has expressed her full support for Jemimah Rodrigues as the new skipper of Delhi Capitals (DC) for WPL 2026. Kapp stated that she has long seen the Indian batter as captaincy material.
With Meg Lanning, who led DC in the first three seasons, transitioning to become the UP Warriorz skipper, Jemimah is set to take over as captain for the new season beginning on January 9. “I’m not going to lie. Losing Meg as a captain is obviously a big thing. She’s a very successful captain, not only for DC but in world cricket in general,” Kapp said.
“But in saying that, I mentioned a couple of years ago, when they asked me who should be India’s next captain, I actually said Jemimah. I feel like she’s one of those players who can bring a team together, just with her personality and a caring factor due to the way she is. I feel like she’s always been a leader,” Marizanne added during a select virtual roundtable with reporters.
Kapp emphasized that experienced international players will assist Jemimah in navigating her new leadership role. “Look, for a new captain, there will be challenges, but so it will be for any captain. Even if you are an experienced captain, there will always be challenges. I feel like Jemimah has a lot of senior players around her.”
“We still have a lot of players here that have been here before. Management is still the same. So she has a lot of support if she does struggle. But I believe Jemimah will take this opportunity with both hands, and I think she’ll be very successful,” she added.
DC has faced the disappointment of reaching three consecutive WPL finals without securing the title. When asked about the missed opportunities, Kapp pointed to a blend of circumstances and subpar performances on those crucial days. “I don’t think it’s a case of pressure. Every single game you go into, there’s pressure to perform. I think we’ve done so well over the past three years. Sometimes, it was just a bit of bad luck. I mean, that first season, I think we lost three wickets with full tosses that on any other day could have ended up being no balls. Then in the second year, it was probably the slowest wicket we played on.”
“With us being more of a pace attack, it probably didn’t suit our bowlers too much or our batters, to be honest. So I think it’s a mixed bag of bad luck and us not playing too well, not having our best days in the finals. But I wouldn’t say it’s a case of not being able to cope with the pressure,” Kapp remarked.
The addition of fellow South Africans Laura Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee has enhanced the DC squad, Kapp noted. “It’s been good to have some of the South Africans over, especially. I was so excited for them to be in this environment. The DC environment has probably been the best I’ve ever played in any league. It’s just a wonderful group of players and management.”
“I was so excited for them to experience this as well. The way we are being treated in this team is just absolutely next level and looking forward to the season ahead. We also have people like Kingy (Alana King) and (Chinelle) Henry coming in and they are people we know quite well. Everyone’s just getting along so well and seeming to fit in so easily,” she shared.
Kapp praised the significance of the WPL for women’s cricket, linking it to India’s historic ODI World Cup victory. “I think people don’t always understand how important these leagues are for women’s cricket, especially the WPL. You saw India won their first cricket World Cup, the first in a very long time. That already shows you what an impact it has had on not only women’s cricket but on Indian cricket as well.”
The WPL has particularly boosted Marizanne’s batting aggression, which is essential given her role in the batting order. “For me, on a personal level, I feel like my game would have never grown the way it has if it wasn’t for these leagues. Even seeing some of these youngsters coming through the ranks is thanks to leagues like WPL.”
“Probably the aggressive nature within my batting. My role and where I come in means I don’t always get as much time to bat, so you have to make every ball count. My entry point within games has allowed me to be a bit more aggressive,” she explained.
“The general pressures of playing in India and on these wickets isn’t always easy, especially with the ball,” she added, noting that challenging conditions have strengthened her mental resilience. “You are put under so much pressure because batters come after you as a bowler, and it’s not very easy to bowl here. It’s about developing that grit to stay in the fight and not give up.”
Kapp concluded by highlighting that fast bowlers have shown their match-winning abilities in all three WPL seasons, despite tough conditions. “Look, it’s a challenge. I’m not going to lie. Everyone knows it’s not easy bowling in India. But the past three years have shown what an important role pace bowlers still play. Yes, your spinners are vital. But I feel like it’s mainly your pace bowlers that actually win matches, as they bowl in the powerplay and at death, which are the most challenging times.”
“Playing in these leagues, especially in the WPL, where it’s tough to be a pace bowler, develops you not only as a cricketer but as a person as well, because you have to have that grit and fight. It’s definitely not easy bowling in these conditions.”