Gujarat Giants turned a corner in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 season, making a remarkable comeback after failing to qualify for the playoffs in the previous two years. Under the new captain, Ashleigh Gardner, the team secured a third-place finish on the points table with eight points, winning four of their eight matches. Although, their dream of lifting the trophy were ultimately dashed by a heavy loss to Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator, the season marked a giant leap forward for the team.
Their campaign saw several standout performances, convincing victories, close losses, and impressive debuts, all of which hinted at a bright future for the team.
Giants’ WPL 2025 run got off to a thrilling start in the season opener against RCB at their home ground in Vadodara. Batting first, the Giants set a daunting target of 201/5 as Beth Mooney scored 59 and Ashleigh Gardner remained unbeaten on 79. However, RCB pulled off a record-breaking chase leaving Giants to ponder what could have been.
Gujarat bounced back from their opening loss with a convincing six-wicket win over the UP Warriorz in their second match at Vadodara. As youngster Priya Mishra picked up a three-wicket haul, Gujarat restricted UP to a modest 143. Ashleigh Gardner top-scored with 52, while Harleen Deol and Deandra Dottin provided the finishing touches to seal a comfortable victory.
The Giants’ momentum was halted as they suffered two consecutive losses. Their final home game against Mumbai Indians ended in a five-wicket defeat, with the Giants managing only 120 batting first. Despite Priya Mishra and Kashvee Gautam taking two wickets each, Mumbai comfortably chased down the target.
The Giants’ struggles continued against Delhi Capitals at Bengaluru, who handed them a six-wicket defeat. Batting first, Gujarat could only muster 127, although Bharati Fulmali’s unbeaten 40 off 29 balls was one bright spot in an otherwise disappointing performance. Delhi easily chased down the target in 16 overs.
The Giants rediscovered their winning form with back-to-back victories. They first defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets, restricting the home team to a paltry 125. Deandra Dottin and Tanuja Kanwar claimed two wickets each, while Ashleigh Gardner (58) and Phoebe Litchfield (30*) guided Giants to a comfortable win in just 17 overs.
Building on this momentum, the Giants then thrashed UP Warriorz by 81 runs at Lucknow. Beth Mooney (96*), former Gujarat skipper and Harleen Deol (45) powered the Giants to 186/5, before Kashvee Gautam and Tanuja Kanwar took three wickets each to skittle out the Warriorz for a mere 105, with three of their batters falling for ducks. This emphatic win provided a major Net Run Rate boost for the Giants.
Lucknow proved to be a lucky venue for the Giants, as they won both their matches at the city. Their next match against Delhi Capitals was a close one, with the Giants emerging victorious by five wickets with just three balls to spare. Delhi Capitals had set a target of 177 as Meghna Singh picked up three wickets. Chasing the target, Beth Mooney’s quickfire 44 provided the initial spark, but it was Harleen Deol’s unbeaten 70 that guided Gujarat to victory in the final over. This win brought the Giants closer to securing a playoff spot.
Gujarat Giants’ league stage came to a close with a narrow 9-run defeat to Mumbai Indians. Batting first, Mumbai posted a challenging 179, which the Giants chased valiantly but ultimately fell short of, finishing with 170. Bharati Fulmali’s blistering 61 off 25 balls almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, but it wasn’t enough.
Despite this setback, the Giants had already done enough to secure their spot in the eliminator, edging out RCB and UP in the process.
Deandra Dottin was ruled out before the eliminator, dealing a significant blow to Gujarat ahead of the high-pressure match. Without her all-round abilities, the team struggled under pressure, and their title hopes came to an end as they succumbed to a 47-run defeat against Mumbai Indians in the eliminator. The Giants’ own mistakes, including dropped catches, misfields, and run outs, further compounded their troubles, ultimately costing them a spot in the final game.
Bowling first, the Giants found themselves on the back foot as Mumbai Indians piled on a massive 213 runs, with their bowlers struggling to contain the opposition’s power-hitters. The chase began on a disastrous note, with early wickets derailing their momentum and putting them under immense pressure. Despite a few fighting knocks from Danielle Gibson, Phoebe Litchfield and Bharati Fulmali, the target proved insurmountable, and they eventually fell short by a significant margin.
Despite their exit, it was a commendable campaign for this young Gujarat side. Ashleigh Gardner led from the front, making a significant impact with both bat and ball, scoring 243 runs and picking up 8 wickets. Their debutants also made a strong impression, with Kashvee Gautam leading the bowling attack with 11 wickets and Priya Mishra contributing with 6 wickets.
Deandra Dottin had an impactful debut season, scoring 142 runs and claiming 9 wickets before her untimely exclusion. Danielle Gibson, making her first appearance in the eliminator, displayed resilience with two wickets and a fighting 34.
Other positives included Bharti Fulmali, who played two impressive knocks, an unbeaten 40 off 29 and a blistering 61 off 25 balls against Mumbai.
After finishing at the bottom of the table for two consecutive years, Gujarat Giants’ third season was a significant improvement, marked by incredible highs and heartbreaking near-misses. With valuable lessons learned and a taste of what could have been, the Giants will be eager to go one step further next season.
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