Deepti Sharma. Photo: X@BCCIWomen

England women cricket players celebrate their win over India in the women’s cricket World Cup in Indore on October 19, 2025. England sealed their semifinal spot with this win.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

WPL 2025: GG vs UPW Highlights© BCCI

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. 

Smriti Mandhana waltzed her way to the fastest century by an Indian while Pratika Rawal compiled her maiden hundred as India amassed 435/5, their highest-ever total in the 50-over format, in the third and final women’s ODI against Ireland in Rajkot on Wednesday. The stand-in skipper Smriti’s scintillating 135 (80 balls), her 10th ODI century, came off just 70 deliveries, set the tone for India breaching the 400-run mark for the first time, joining Australia and New Zealand in that elite list.

It was also the fourth-highest total in women’s ODI, and Smriti also surpassed Harmanpreet Kaur’s 87-ball hundred mark against South Africa last year.

Smriti reached her 31st ODI fifty in 39 balls, her second half-century of the series and the southpaw was not afraid to take the aerial route over the ‘V’ and clear the 30-yard circle in an innings studded with seven sixes and 12 fours.

Pratika, a Delhi cricketer representing Railways, complemented her captain brilliantly with a measured knock, making the occasion even more special by notching her maiden international century in her sixth innings. She made 154 from 129 balls.

The 24-year-old, who debuted in the previous series against the West Indies, had already notched three fifties in four innings.

This time, Pratika made it count, reaching a run-a-ball hundred before shifting gears with authority.

Pratika relied on precise placement and deft touches in the point region and she showed her aggression only after reaching the ton, hitting Freya Sargent for her first six. She also hit 20 boundaries.

Demonstrating her hunger for a bigger knock, she powered her way to an impressive 150, showcasing a perfect blend of composure and aggression.

Their 233-run partnership made them only the fourth Indian pair to record a 200-run stand in Women’s ODIs.

The last such partnership was the record-breaking 320-run opening stand by Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut against Ireland in 2017.

It was also the third instance of both Indian openers scoring hundreds in a Women’s ODI, following Reshma Gandhi and Mithali Raj’s feat at Milton Keynes in 1999 and Deepti and Raut’s partnership at Potchefstroom in 2017 — all against Ireland.

The duo added 90 runs during the Power Play and 67 in the subsequent 10 overs, maintaining a brisk scoring rate.

The partnership marked their fourth 100-run stand in six innings.

Smriti reached her first century of the calendar year with an exquisite drive off Arlene Kelly.

Kelly bore the brunt of Smriti’s onslaught, conceding successive sixes in one over.

Even Kelly’s variations, including back-of-the-hand deliveries, were dispatched with ease, with Smriti following a six with another boundary in the 24th over.

Smriti also took on Ireland’s leading bowler, Orla Prendergast, smashing her for a boundary down the ground and a towering six over long-on, leaving the Irish attack in tatters.

Promoted to No. 3, keeper-batter Richa Ghosh also returned to form, getting to a 37-ball fifty, her fifth in ODIs.

Ireland used seven bowlers but they struggled against India’s batting fury and sloppy fielding added to their misery. 

Smriti Mandhana in action© BCCI

File image of Smriti Mandhana.© BCCI

Deepti Sharma took a stunning catch against New Zealand© X (Twitter)

File photo of Deepti Sharma© AFP

The Indian women’s cricket team defeated recently-crowned Women’s T20 World Cup champions New Zealand by 59 runs. One of the standout highlights during India’s bowling effort was a clever run-out inflicted after some brilliant presence of mind by India spinner Deepti Sharma. As New Zealand captain Sophie Devine stepped out to block a delivery by Deepti, the bowler noticed a chance. With Devine still out of her crease and not attentive of the situation, Deepti threw the ball back to wicket-keeper Yastika Bhatia who dislodged the bails before Devine could return to her crease.

Devine even swayed out of the way to avoid Deepti’s throw back to Yastika. However, moments later Devine realized her mistake, as Yastika removed the bails and India went up appealing.

Watch: Sophie Devine outfoxed by Deepti Sharma

Sharp presence of mind produces a big wicket!

New Zealand lose their third in the chase as Sophie Devine is run-out.

Live – https://t.co/VGGT7lSS13#TeamIndia | #INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/gvANXADVkA

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) October 24, 2024

A check by the third umpire confirmed that Devine was out of her ground, and brought an unceremonious end to the New Zealand skipper’s innings. Devine was out for just two runs off five balls.

India vs New Zealand, 1st Women’s ODI: As it happened

Batting first, India were bowled out for 227 in 44.3 overs. There were handy contributions throughout the order, as five batters crossed 30, but no one managed to get to a half-century. 27-year-old Tejal Hasabnis, making her international debut for India, top-scored with 42. Deepti Sharma was the other batter to go past 40, scoring 41.

In the run chase, New Zealand failed to get going, failing to stitch even a single 50-run partnership. They were bowled out in just 40.4 overs by India, for a total of 168.

Radha Yadav led the wickets column for India with three. 28-year-old seamer Saima Thakor, also making her India debut, chipped in with two wickets. Deepti Sharma added one wicket alongside her brilliant run out.

Having lost to New Zealand in the group stage of the Women’s T20 World Cup, India will be hoping to seal a series win in the three-match ODI series.