The 12th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 promises an electrifying contest as the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), take on Gujarat Giants (GG) at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on February 27 at 7:30 PM IST.
RCB is coming off a Super Over heartbreak against UP Warriorz, leaving them with two wins from four games. Meanwhile, GG is struggling, having won just one match out of four, with their lone victory coming against UP Warriorz. They will be eager to turn things around in this crucial encounter.
Squads:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Smriti Mandhana (C), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sabbineni Meghana, Nuzhat Parween, Charlie Dean, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Heather Graham, Joshitha V J, Kanika Ahuja, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Raghvi Bist, Sneh Rana, Richa Ghosh, Ekta Bisht, Jagravi Pawar, Renuka Singh Thakur
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 Kanwer
Players to watch out:
Smriti Mandhana
The Indian vice-captain has been in sensational form since 2024, amassing 763 runs, including the high score of 77. However, her performances in WPL 2025 have been inconsistent, with scores of 9, 81, 26, and 6. She will be eager to find her rhythm and lead from the front.
Georgia Wareham
After a tough start, conceding 50 runs in 3 overs (1/50) in the opening match, Wareham roared back with two consecutive three-fers (3/25 vs DC & 3/21 vs MI). However, she struggled again against UPW (0/40) and will be keen to bounce back.
Deandra Dottin
The powerful West Indian all-rounder made an instant impact in her WPL debut, hammering 25 off 13 balls and taking 1/41 (3.3) vs RCB. She followed it up with an unbeaten 33 off 18 and 2/34 (4) vs UPW but has been inconsistent since, scoring 7 and 26 with the bat while going wicketless in the last two games.
Harleen Deol
After a quickfire 9 off 4 in the opening match, Harleen has got starts, scoring 34, 32, and 5 in her next three outings and will be keen to score big. Across 15 WPL matches, she has 330 runs, with the best of 67, and can also contribute with the ball.
Pitch:
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is renowned for being a batting paradise, offering plenty of scoring opportunities. Pacers might find some assistance early on, but spinners could struggle. With an average first-innings score of 170, chasing teams often have an edge, especially with dew likely to play a role in the second innings.
Weather:
Expect clear skies in Bengaluru. The temperature will hover around 31°C during the day, dropping to 18°C at night. Humidity levels will be around 58%, with moderate winds at 21 kph. Some cloud cover is expected, but conditions should be ideal for a full match.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Richa Ghosh, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Smriti Mandhana, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ashleigh Gardner, Deandra Dottin, Georgia Wareham, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kim Garth
Match details:
Date: February 27, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Broadcast: Live streaming on Jio Hotstar; Telecast on Star Sports
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