In an exciting clash, between Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Giants, led by skipper Beth Mooney, won the toss and chose to bat first in match 13 of the ongoing 2nd edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
In opting to bat first on winning the toss, Mooney changed the trend of captains opting to field first. Gujarat’s openers set the tone with a rapid start, forming the highest opening partnership of 140 runs in the 2024 WPL before Laura Wolvaardt was dismissed at 76 runs. Phoebe Litchfield then joined Mooney to build another vital partnership and despite losing wickets, the Giants posted a formidable total of 199/5, with Mooney’s unbeaten 85 being the standout performance.
In response, Royal Challengers Bangalore started steadily but lost wickets at crucial intervals. Despite efforts from Georgia Wareham (48 runs) and Richa Ghosh (30), they fell short, finishing at 180 runs against 8 wickets. Ashleigh Gardner and Kathryn Bryce outshone with the ball for the Giants. Mooney’s exceptional innings earned her the Player of the Match award as the Giants registered their first win of the season after four consecutive losses.
Here are some highlights from the match between Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore in WPL 2024:
Beth Mooney and Laura Wolvaardt’s century run stand
Gujarat Giants registered their first 100-run partnership for any wicket in WPL, this was achieved during the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. This partnership of 140 runs was also the 2nd highest opening partnership in the history of WPL. Laura Wolvaardt’s 76 runs, which included the most number of boundaries (13), along with Beth Mooney’s 44 runs, resulted in achieving the highest total of WPL 2024, 199 for five wickets. Fans praised the efforts of both players.
Gujarat had tried various opening combinations in the initial games but all of those had failed. It took the duo of Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney to finally click for them, ✍️ @iamsom_15 https://t.co/F9DUnAAcgT
— News18 CricketNext (@cricketnext) March 7, 2024
Underdogs shines ,.#wpl2024 #GGvsRCB pic.twitter.com/rlU5PeihJl
— sneha gupta (@sg594575) March 6, 2024
Highest Opening Partnership in WPL:-
162 – Meg Lanning/Shafali Verma (DC) vs RCB, 2023
𝟭𝟰𝟬 – Laura Wolvaardt/Beth Mooney (GG) vs RCB, TONIGHT**
139* – Alyssa Healy/Devika Vaidya (UPW) vs RCB, 2023
🔸all against RCB
🔸all in 1st inning#WPL2024 #RCBvGG pic.twitter.com/04UbTEUZU0— Kishan Kishor (@itskishankishor) March 6, 2024
Most boundaries (Four's)in Innings by batter in WPL
18 – Alyssa Healy vs RCB in 2023
14 – Harmanpreet Kaur vs GG in 2023
14 – Meg Lanning vs RCB in 2023
13 – Laura Wolvaardt vs RCB in 2024 (Today)
13 – Hayley Matthews vs RCB in 2023#RCBvsGGW #WPL2024 #WPL— suriya (@SuriyaInsights) March 6, 2024
Most number of Run outs in WPL history
Seven runouts were registered in the match, with three occurring in the first innings and four in the later stages. Fans were surprised after witnessing such an unusual record.
Total of 7⃣ runouts in GG vs RCB match today.
– No WPL game earlier had more than 2⃣ runouts! #WPL2024
— Ashish kumar (@ashuisbad) March 6, 2024
Most Run Outs in a WPL match is 7 (Today)
Most run outs in a WPL Innings is 4 ( RCB vs GG) today
second most run outs in an Innings is 3 (GG vs RCB) today#RCBvsGGW #WPL2024 #WPL— suriya (@SuriyaInsights) March 6, 2024
7 runouts in GG vs RCB game!
This is the HIGHEST for any franchise T20 match (men/women).
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) March 6, 2024
A first toss win for Gujarat
It was only the second time in WPL’s brief history that a team elected to bat first and won the match. On both occasions, it was Gujarat Giants against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Beth Mooney won the first toss of the season and also became the first captain to opt for batting on winning the toss in the WPL 2024 edition.
Toss Update: GG vs RCB
Gujarat Giants won the toss and decided to bat first.#CricketTwitter #WPL2024
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) March 6, 2024
Georgia’s tremendous efforts
Despite the Royals falling short by 19 runs of victory, Georgia Wareham’s efforts kept the hopes of Bangalore alive as she smashed 48 runs off just 22 balls, including 6 boundaries and two maximums, with a whopping striking strike rate of 218.18. Fans praised her performance and compared her to AB de Villiers, who was a match finisher in the Royals’ men’s team.
Match 13 : GG VS RCB
Georgia Wareham score 48 runs in 22 balls #WPL2024 #GGvRCB 📸: wpl pic.twitter.com/9LYjfR3LiA
— Thewomencricketworld (@Thewomencricke1) March 6, 2024
Georgia Wareham you got a new Fanboy today. What a game..what a display, seen @ABdeVilliers17 doing this for #RCB n seen you doing the same for #RCBW
Everything you are making some Legendary contributions for @RCBTweets @GeorgiaWareham ❣#GGvsRCB #SheIsBold #TATAWPL pic.twitter.com/zjwiQcppfz— Chandu☮ (@212_rchandu) March 6, 2024
40 Runs + Wicket for RCB in a WPL Match :
🇳🇿 Sophie Devine vs GG (2023)
🇦🇺 GEORGIA WAREHAM vs GG (2024) **#WPL | #WPL2024— Krish (@LuciferStan07) March 6, 2024
WELL PLAYED GEORGIA WAREHAM!!!!
48(22) vs GG
1-36(4) with the ball as well#RCB #WPL2024 pic.twitter.com/0NJSzcZLHl
— RCB Xtra. (@Rcb_Xtra) March 6, 2024
#GeorgiaWareham hitting brutally 🔥🔥 #GGvsRCB #Wpl
— Nigam Prasad Behera (@NigamMahi73) March 6, 2024
Fans’ reactions to Gujarat’s first victory
After four consecutive losses, the Gujarat Giants managed to register their first victory of the season and gained two points on the WPL points table.
Gujarat Giants get their first win of WPL 2024 🔥#WPL2024 #WPL #GGvRCB #GGvsRCB #GujaratGiants #RoyalChallengersBangalore #WomensCricket #Cricket pic.twitter.com/o5p0MTUAUt
— The Sportz (@TheSportzIndia) March 6, 2024
Giants finally open their account in this season courtesy their opening duo and then later on their bowling unit. RCB might ruin this loss cometh the end of tournament. #TATAWPL2024 #GGvsRCB
— Ahmad Hussain (@Ahmad_Pak_) March 6, 2024
Few more reactions from the fans
#BucketList ✅ Finally witnessed the energy of a live cricket match! The atmosphere at the stadium for the RCB vs GG match in Delhi was electric! #WPL #RCBvGG @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/JxmP7vjqQj
— Tejas Anand Srivastava (@_thelaststark) March 6, 2024
Highest WPL total without any fifty:
180/8 – RCB vs GG, today
169/6 – GG vs UPW, 2023
163/8 – RCB vs DC, 2023
163/8 – DC vs MI, 2024The previous 3 instances have ALL happened on SAME date – 5th March. #WPL2023 #WPL2024
— Ashish kumar (@ashuisbad) March 6, 2024
Great fightback from RCB. Just 20 runs short. Looked so chasable! Delhi Capitals and RCB looking like the Top 2 teams of this season. #GGvsRCB
— Stanley (@stanip7) March 6, 2024
Gujarat Giants have got their 2 of the highest totals in WPL almost a year apart.
– 201/7 vs RCB, 8 Mar 2023
– 199/5 vs RCB, 6 Mar 2024GG's third-highest total is also against RCB:
188/4 on 18 Mar 2023— Saurabh (@that_cric8guy) March 6, 2024