The much-awaited third edition of the Women’s Premier League is in full swing, and the third match of the tournament will witness the Gujarat Giants locking horns with the UP Warriorz on February 16th at 7:30 PM (IST) at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara.
This marks Gujarat Giants’ second appearance in the tournament, following a defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who registered the highest-ever run chase in WPL history in this season’s opener. Meanwhile, UP Warriorz kickstart their campaign with this match, having reached the eliminator in the first edition and finishing fourth in the second season.
Squads:
Gujarat Giants
Ashleigh Gardner (C), Harleen Deol, Prakashika Naik, Beth Mooney, Kashvee Gautam, Priya Mishra, Bharti Fulmali, Laura Wolvaardt, Sayali Satghare, Danielle Gibson, Mannat Kashyap, Shabnam Shakil, Dayalan Hemalatha, Meghna Singh, Simran Shaikh, Deandra Dottin, Phoebe Litchfield, Tanuja Kanwar
UP Warriorz
Deepti Sharma (C), Uma Chetry (WK), Chinelle Henry, Poonam Khamnar, Kiran Navgire, Dinesh Vrinda, Chamari Athapaththu, Grace Harris, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Shweta Sehrawat, Anjali Sarvani, Sophie Ecclestone, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Saima Thakor, Arushi Goel, Kranti Goud, Gouher Sultana
Players to watch out:
Harleen Deol
In the opening match, Deol batted at number 7 and remained unbeaten on 9 off 4 balls, showcasing her potential to bat higher in the order. Across 12 WPL matches, she has scored 259 runs, with the best of 67, and can also contribute with the ball when needed.
Beth Mooney
The Gujarat Giants’ wicketkeeper-batter was instrumental in stabilizing the innings in the first match, scoring 56 off 42 balls. A key figure in their batting lineup, Mooney boasts an impressive 3215 T20I runs for Australia. In WPL 2024, she amassed 285 runs in 8 matches, with an unbeaten 85 as her highest score.
Deepti Sharma
The newly appointed 27-year-old skipper is a key all-rounder for UP Warriorz. Across 17 WPL matches, she has made significant contributions with both bat and ball, scoring 385 runs in 16 innings and taking 19 wickets. In WPL 2024, she was particularly outstanding, scoring 295 runs at a strike rate of 136.57 and an average of 98.33, while also picking up 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.23.
Sophie Ecclestone
One of the world’s premier spinners, 25-year-old English star Sophie Ecclestone has been a standout performer for UP Warriorz. From 17 WPL matches, she has scalped 27 wickets at an average of 16.37, with the best bowling figure of 4/13.
Pitch:
The Kotambi Stadium pitch offers a balanced surface, providing assistance to both pacers and spinners. The average first-innings score stands at 131, and historically, teams winning the toss prefer to bat first.
Weather:
Vadodara is expected to have a sunny day with temperatures ranging between 32°C (max) and 19°C (min). Humidity will be at 55%, with winds blowing at 11 kph.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Beth Mooney, Grace Harris, Laura Wolvaardt, Deepti Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner, Chamari Athapaththu, Deandra Dottin, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Ecclestone, Alana King, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Match details:
Date – February 16, 2025
Time – 7:30 PM IST
Venue – Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara
Broadcast – Live streaming on Jio Hotstar; Telecast on Star Sports Network
Loves all things female cricket
