The 16th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will be played between Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Brabourne Stadium on March 18. The game will begin at 7.30 PM IST.
Both teams will play their seventh match of the tournament. While Gujarat Giants have won two and lost four, Royal Challengers Bangalore have won one and lost five. The last time these two teams played, Gujarat Giants beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 11 runs.
Squads
Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner, Sophie Dunkley, Anna Sutherland, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana (c), S Meghana, Georgia Wareham, Mansi Joshi, D Hemalatha, Monica Patel, Tanuja Kanwer, Sushma Verma, Hurley Gala, Ashwani Kumari, Parunika Sisodia, Shabnam Shakil, Laura Wolvaardt, Kim Garth
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Smriti Mandhana (c), Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh, Erin Burns, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Shreyanka Patil, Kanika Ahuja, Asha Shobana, Heather Knight, Dane van Niekerk, Preeti Bose, Poonam Khemnar, Komal Zanzad, Meghan Schutt, Sahana Pawar
Players to watch
Laura Wolvaardt:
The right-handed opening batter of Gujarat Giants top-scored with a delectable 57 off 45 in her last fixture against Delhi Capitals. She hit six boundaries and a six in her entertaining knock. She anchored the innings and was there till the 19th over.
Ashleigh Gardner:
The star all-rounder of Gujarat Giants won the player of the match award in her last outing against Delhi Capitals. The right-handed middle-order batter hammered an unbeaten 51 off 33, including nine boundaries. She also claimed 2/19 in 3.4 overs, bowling off-spin.
Kanika Ahuja:
The dashing batter of Royal Challengers Bangalore led the run chase from the front in her last match against UP Warriorz. She muscled 46 off 30, including eight fours and a six. She stitched a 60-run partnership with Richa Ghosh for the fifth wicket. She bagged the player of the match award.
Ellyse Perry:
The right-arm speedster of Royal Challengers Bangalore was the most successful bowler for her side in her last appearance against UP Warriorz. She accounted for 3/16 in four overs. She was also the most economical bowler for her side. Besides her bowling, she is a good middle-order batter.
Pitch
It will be the eighth match of the tournament at this venue. The teams batting first have won four, and the teams batting second have won three. Expect a slower surface that could make batting difficult. The spinners may play a key role.
Weather
The weather is expected to be clear, warm, and humid. The maximum temperature attained during the match will be 27 degrees Celsius. There will be a zero percent cloud cover and a zero percent chance of rain. The wind will blow from the northwest.
Fantasy Playing XI
Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol, Sophie Devine, Heather Knight, Laura Wolvaardt, Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Kim Garth, Sneh Rana, Kanika Ahuja, Megan Schutt
Match details
Date: March 18, 2023
Time: 7.30 PM IST
Venue: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Live streaming: Sports18 Network, Jio Cinema
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.
