Navi Mumbai, Jan 9 (IANS) Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach Jonathan Batty said his side are ‘raring to go’ and everything feels positive in their build-up to open their 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) campaign against defending champions Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.

DC will be led by new skipper Jemimah Rodrigues and are coming off after having an intensive pre-season camp in Goa. “It’s really nice to have a lot of familiar faces back in the squad from the last few years, and at the same time, it’s been great to bring in some fresh faces who add a new dynamic to the team.

“It’s been a fantastic preparation period. The camp in Goa allowed us to combine team-building activities with high-quality training sessions. There’s been some really good cricket on display, and as we head into the tournament phase, everything feels really positive and we’re raring to go,” said Batty in a tournament release.

DC have reached the finals in all three previous WPL seasons, but never won the trophy and will be aiming to go one step better in 2026. “I think we’ve got a really balanced squad. What excites me is building on the experience and quality we retained going into the auction, complemented by some high-quality recruitment. We’re obviously looking to go one better than in the last few years,” said Batty.

Emphasising culture as a cornerstone of success, Batty noted: “For me, team culture is about having good people around the environment, from players and backroom staff to support, logistics and marketing teams. There’s a lot of high-quality people within the Delhi Capitals organisation, and it’s about striking the right balance between working hard, having fun, and spending time together.”

–IANS

nr/