Gujarat Giants will hope their bowlers complement the batters and fielding shows overall improvement after a crushing defeat in the Women’s Premier League season opener, when they take on the UP Warriorz here on Sunday. Gujarat Giants produced a unified batting show to set a commanding 202-run target against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru but their bowling frailties were exposed in the first game of the season itself when as many as six options also could not contain the opposition batters.
Richa Ghosh was dropped on the first ball she faced and the India wicketkeeper-batter made GG pay a hefty price for the mistake, striking 64 off only 26 balls (7x4s, 4x6s) to quickly turn the tables.
GG’ Tanuja Kanwar had also spilled Ellyse Perry’s catch when she was batting on two. The Australian great too made the most of the reprieve as she hit a 34-ball 57 to anchor RCB’s record chase.
Gujarat Giants had earlier produced a fine batting show with fifties from former skipper Beth Mooney (56) and incumbent leader Ashleigh Gardner (79 not out) propelling them to 201 for five on a fresh surface here at the Kotambi Stadium.
The opening game of the third season here on Friday was not just the highest match aggregate in WPL but also witnessed highest run chase, implying that batters will continue to make merry and the bowlers will have to keep evolving new plans.
With only one day to turn their focus on the second match, the Giants will be challenged to regroup and find ways to execute better with the ball and the field.
On the other hand, UP Warriorz would take the field under a new captain, India’s Deepti Sharma, after their regular skipper Alyssa Healy opted out of the competition due to a string of injuries.
Deepti has been a vital cog in the Indian teams across formats but the 27-year-old veteran hasn’t held any leadership role with the national side in nearly a decade.
On their part, spin bowling could be described as UP Warriorz’ biggest strength this season after the team which finished fourth in the five-team league last year added Australia’s Alana King to their roster which already boasts of England’s Sophie Ecclestone.
King had a successful run in the women’s Ashes taking nine wickets in the only Tests as well as 17 more wickets in the limited-overs series. Along with King and Ecclestone, the Warriorz have India’s Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Deepti, Gouher Sultana as well as others in Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu and Grace Harris.
Their overall firepower pits Warriorz as the favourites for this clash given they have the formidable trio of Tahlia McGrath, Harris and Athapaththu to pick from in the batting.
The Indian talent strength is also impressive with the likes of young batters Uma Chetry, Vrinda Dinesh, Arushi Goel and the experienced Kiran Navgire in the mix, while among bowlers Saima Thakor will be looking to add a few wickets to her kitty after a dry run in the series against West Indies and Ireland.
Teams:
Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (c), Bharti Fulmali, Laura Wolvaardt, Phoebe Litchfield, Simran Shaikh, Danielle Gibson, Dayalan Hemalatha, Deandra Dottin, Harleen Deol, Sayali Satghare, Tanuja Kanwar, Beth Mooney (wk), Kashvee Gautam, Mannat Kashyap, Meghna Singh, Prakashika Naik, Priya Mishra, Shabnam Shakil.
UP Warriorz: Deepti Sharma (c), Arushi Goel, Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrawat, Vrinda Dinesh, Chamari Athapaththu, Chinelle Henry, Grace Harris, Kranti Goud, Poonam Khemnar, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Uma Chetry (wk), Alana King, Anjali Sarvani, Gouher Sultana, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Saima Thakor.
Match starts at 7:30pm IST.
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