In a massive change or trend in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Gujarat Giants scripted history on January 30, 2026, by becoming the first team in 40 matches to win the toss and elect to bat first.
This groundbreaking decision by skipper Ashleigh Gardner against the Mumbai Indians marked the first such occurrence in the ongoing fourth edition of the WPL, and the league stage’s 19th game after 18 straight instances of teams bowling first. The Giants’ bold gamble paid off, securing an 11-run victory that punched their ticket to the Eliminator on February 3 at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, while snapping their first-ever win over Mumbai Indians in WPL history.
The Gujarat Giants set a competitive total of 167/4 in their quota of 20 overs, fueled by skipper Ashleigh Gardner’s explosive 46 off 28 balls, Georgia Wareham’s unbeaten 44 off 26, and Anushka Sharma’s steady 33 off 31. Wareham stole the spotlight as Player of the Match for her all-round brilliance, capping her batting fireworks with a miserly 4-0-26-2 spell that derailed Mumbai Indians chase. This triumph marks the Giants’ second consecutive knockout appearance in the tournament.
The win intensifies the playoff race. A Delhi Capitals victory over UP Warriorz on February 1 at Kotambi Stadium (7:30 PM IST) would eliminate Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians. The Warriorz have an outside chance if they manage to win against Delhi Capitals by a miraculous margin.
Adding to the drama, Smriti Mandhana’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched a direct final berth on February 5 with 12 points from eight league games (six wins, two losses). They dominated UP Warriorz by eight wickets with 41 balls remaining on January 29 at Kotambi Stadium, capping a campaign that positions them as favourites.
This toss-breaking moment harks back to the second edition’s 2024 grand finale at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, on March 17. Then-Delhi Capitals skipper Meg Lanning opted to bat first against RCB, but her side crumbled to 113 with nine balls unused. Mandhana’s RCB chased 114 in 19.3 overs with eight wickets intact, ending a 17-year franchise title drought. Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux earned Player of the Match honours with a match-defining 4-0-20-3.
For 40 straight WPL games until now, captains shunned batting first amid dew factors and chasing trends, until Gardner flipped the script. As the fourth WPL edition hurtles toward its climax, this victory underscores evolving tactics in women’s cricket, blending aggression with opportunism.
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