A high-scoring thriller lit up DY Patil Stadium on January 10, 2026, as Gujarat Giants Women outlasted UP Warriorz Women by 10 runs in a pulsating Women’s Premier League (WPL) contest that kept fans glued till the final over. The surface offered true bounce, and both teams cashed in, producing a combined 404 runs as batters smacked power-packed strokeplay and bowlers had to dig deep for breakthroughs. Gujarat Giants began with their reliable opening pair, Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine, who laid the early foundation.
Mooney tried to set the tone but couldn’t quite break free, managing 13 runs off 12 balls before falling to Sophie Ecclestone at 1-41 in the 4th over. Devine, however, played with calculated aggression, hammering 38 from just 20 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes. Her solid partnership with Anushka Sharma pushed Gujarat forward before she was caught by Phoebe Litchfield off Shikha Pandey at 2-55 in the 6th over.
Anushka Sharma then anchored the momentum beautifully. Her 44 from 30 balls included seven well-timed boundaries, forming a crucial stand with skipper Ashleigh Gardner. The pair pushed the total beyond 100 as UP Warriorz bowlers struggled to restrict scoring. Gardner unleashed her power-hitting best, smashing 65 off just 41 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes. By the time she fell at 4-173 to Deandra Dottin in the 18th over, the Giants were already well past par.
The late charge came from Georgia Wareham and Bharti Fulmali, who provided the finishing touches. Wareham’s blistering 27* off 10 balls, striking at a phenomenal 270.00, featured one four and three sixes, while Fulmali chipped in with 14* off 7 balls. Gujarat Giants ended on a formidable 207/4 from 20 overs (RR 10.35), setting UP Warriorz a tough chase.
UP Warriorz were rocked early, losing Kiran Navgire for 1 to Renuka Singh in the first over. The pressure mounted when skipper Meg Lanning’s fluent 30 off 27 ended LBW to Wareham at 2-73 in the 8th over. Harleen Deol went first ball, and Deepti Sharma fell cheaply, leaving UPW wobbling at 4-74.
Phoebe Litchfield dragged Warriorz back into the contest with a sparkling knock. Her 78 off 40 balls, eight fours and five sixes, kept the crowd roaring. She worked through partnerships with Harleen, Deepti and Shweta Sehrawat (25 off 17) before falling to Devine at 6-150. Even then, Deandra Dottin (12 off 9), Sophie Ecclestone (11 off 8), and Asha Sobhana (27* off 10) believed in the chase, taking it to 197/8 before time ran out.
Gujarat’s bowlers shared the spoils. Renuka Singh impressed with 2/25, Wareham starred with 2/30, Devine chipped in with 2/55 while Gardner and Gayakwad added one each. For UPW, Ecclestone’s 2/32 was the standout in an otherwise tough outing where Pandey and Dottin took one apiece.
Gujarat Giants held their nerve to win by 10 runs, powered by Ashleigh Gardner’s 65, Wareham’s all-round brilliance (27* & 2/30), and a collective bowling effort, marking a thrilling night that set the WPL 2026 season on fire.
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