Gujarat Giants Begin WPL 2026 Campaign With Thrilling 10-Run Victory Over UP Warriorz In Navi Mumbai

Women's Premier League: Phoebe Litchfield's valiant 78 went in vain as UP Warriorz suffered a narrow 10-run defeat against Gujarat Giants in a high-scoring encounter at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.

Chasing a stiff target of 208, UP Warriorz were rocked early as Kiran Navgire departed in the very first over. The opener managed one run before being dismissed by Renuka Singh, giving Gujarat Giants the perfect start.

Following the early setback, it was the Australian duo of captain Meg Lanning and Phoebe Litchfield who steadied the innings. The pair stitched together a crucial 70-run partnership, keeping UP in the hunt. Lanning played the role of the anchor, scoring 30 off 27 balls with five boundaries, before she was dismissed.

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UP Warriorz then suffered a sudden collapse in the middle overs. Harleen Deol was dismissed for a duck, while all-rounder Deepti Sharma followed soon after, managing one run. The Warriorz slipped to 74/4 in 9.1 overs, putting them under significant pressure.

Young Shweta Sehrawat joined Litchfield at the crease, and the duo revived the chase with a vital 69-run partnership. Sehrawat looked composed during her stay but was eventually bowled by Rajeshwari Gayakwad after scoring 25. Litchfield, who had been the backbone of the innings, was dismissed shortly after for a superb 78 off 40 balls, an innings that included eight fours and five sixes.

Deandra Dottin chipped in with 12 off nine deliveries but was dismissed by Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner. At the death, Asha Sobhana tried to pull off a late surge for the Warriorz, remaining unbeaten on 27 off 10 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes.

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However, her effort was not enough as UP Warriorz finished on 197/8, falling 10 runs short of the target.

With the ball, Renuka Singh was the standout performer for Gujarat Giants, returning figures of 2/25 from her four overs. Georgia Wareham and Sophie Devine also made key contributions, picking up two wickets each, while Ashleigh Gardner and Rajeshwari Gayakwad claimed one wicket apiece.

Earlier, Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner displayed strong batting as the team put on a massive 207 against UP Warriroz in the second match of the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 on Saturday.

Having been asked to bat first, Gujarat saw a good start. Sophie Devine slammed 14 runs in the second over against UPW speedster Shikha Pandey.

After the first four overs, the Giants were 40/0. However, Warriorz got the much-needed breakthrough as veteran spinner Sophie Ecclestone clean bowled Beth Mooney (13 off 12 balls, including one four) during the fifth over.

In the very next over, pacer Pandey dismissed Sophie Devine for 38 off 20 balls. Devine's innings included five fours and two sixes. Gujarat reached 56/2 at the end of six overs. Giants also registered their third-best score in the power play in WPL.

Captain Gardner and Anushka Sharma stabilised the innings as the Giants reached 90/2 in 10 overs. During the 13th over, speedster Kranti Gaud conceded 18 runs as Garnder and Sharma slammed boundaries.

In the very next over, Anushka slammed two fours, and Gardner hit two sixes against leg-spinner Asha Sobhana with Gujarat reaching 139/2 in 14 overs.

Gardner reached her sixth WPL fifty during the third ball of the 15th over as the Giants crossed the 150-run mark. Gardner also became the batter with the most fifty-plus scores for Gujarat Giants, surpassing Beth Mooney (5) and Laura Wolvaardt (3).

During the 16th over, Deandra Dottin broke the 100-run stand after she dismissed Anushka for 44 runs. She had made the runs from 30 balls with the help of seven fours.

Anushka Sharma's 44 is the highest by a Gujarat Giants batter on WPL debut. The previous highest was Dani Gibson's 34 runs last year.

In the very next over, Ecclestone removed captain Garnder, who smashed 65 off 41 balls, and the innings included six fours and three sixes.

Towards the end, Bharti Fulmali's unbeaten 14 and Georgia Wareham's blistering unbeaten knock of 27 helped Gujarat post a mammoth 207/4 on the board.

Sophie Ecclestone (2/32), Deandra Dottin (1/47), and Shikha Pandey (1/29) were among the wicket-takers.