Bharti Fulmali has been steadily making a name for herself in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), showcasing her ability to counterattack and anchor. Her recent performance against the Mumbai Indians in Match 19 of WPL 2025 made her only the second batter to score a fifty while batting at No. 7, etching her name into the history books.
This impressive display was not an isolated incident, and her potential has been evident earlier in the season. In Gujarat Giants’ match against Delhi Capitals, she played a crucial unbeaten 40-run cameo off 29 balls, rescuing her team from a collapse. Walking in when Gujarat was struggling, she forged a vital 50-run partnership with Tanuja Kanwer, ensuring they reached a respectable 127/9. Though her knock couldn’t secure a win, it hinted at her potential as a dependable middle-order batter.
She fully unleashed that potential in Giants recent clash against Mumbai Indians, delivering an innings that nearly turned the game in Giants favor.
Arriving at the crease with Gujarat in trouble at 5/70 runs, she signaled her intent early, pulling Nat Sciver-Brunt through backward point for four before driving her elegantly over extra cover and pulling another to deep square leg in the 13th over.
In the 14th over, she sent Amelia Kerr soaring over long-on for a massive six. Amanjot Kaur faced the brunt next, as Fulmali swung one to deep backward square leg for four, aided by a misfield, before smoking a back-of-a-length delivery straight down the ground for a monstrous six.
Her aggression grew as she targeted Parunika Sisodia in the 16th over, finding gaps with well-timed strokes. She first carved a short delivery over point for four before swiping another to deep midwicket. After missing one, she capitalized on the final ball of the over, slicing a slower delivery past the infield to bring up her seventh four, pushing Gujarat closer to the target.
The defining moment came in the 17th over when she took on Amelia Kerr, hammering two massive sixes and a four in quick succession, injecting life into Gujarat’s chase. She first cleared the bowler’s head with a towering six to bring up her 22-ball fifty, then followed it up with another powerful hit over deep midwicket. Not stopping there, she sliced a wide delivery past backward point for four.
Fastest fifties in the WPL (by balls)
18 – Sophia Dunkley (GG) vs RCB, 2023
18 – Chinelle Henry (UPW) vs DC, 2025
19 – Shafali Verma (DC) vs GG, 2023
20 – Sophie Devine (RCB) vs GG, 2023
22 – Harmanpreet Kaur (MI) vs GG, 2023
22 – Bharti Fulmali (GG) vs MI, 2025
(Stat credit: Shashikant Singh)
Fulmali’s blazing knock came to an end as Amelia Kerr had the last laugh. Looking for another big shot, she fell for Kerr’s clever flight, failing to reach the pitch of the ball and slicing it to short third, where Kamalini Gunalan made no mistake. The Gujarat dugout rose in appreciation of her extraordinary knock, but her dismissal left them with an uphill task in the final overs.
With 13 needed off the final over, her dismissal proved costly as Gujarat finished at 170, falling 9 short of the required. Despite the result, Fulmali’s knock was a beacon of hope for the team. As Gujarat gears up for the Eliminator, they will be looking to Fulmali to replicate her heroics and make a bigger impact in the crucial matches ahead.
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