Vadodara, Feb 16 (IANS) Captain Ashleigh Gardner top-scored with a brilliant 52 off 32 balls as Gujarat Giants opened their account in WPL 2025 with a six-wicket win over UP Warriorz at the Kotambi Stadium on Sunday.
After a superb bowling performance, led by leg-spinner Priya Mishra’s 3-25 helped GG restrict UPW to 143/9, the hosts’ were reduced to 57/3 in 8.3 overs but Ashleigh led the way for GG by hitting a fantastic fifty laced with five fours and three sixes.
After she fell, Deandra Dottin hit a stellar cameo of 18-ball 33 not out, laced with three fours and two sixes. She found good support from Harleen Deol, who hit an unbeaten 34 off 30 balls, including hitting four boundaries, as GG got their first win while chasing in the WPL.
Chasing 144, GG didn’t have a great start to the chase as Beth Mooney holed out to mid-on for a golden duck on a full toss from Grace Harris. In the next over, GG had another blow as Dayalan Hemalatha wickets were castled by Sophie Ecclestone.
Ashleigh got going by dispatching Kranti Goud for back-to-back boundaries, before Laura Wolvaardt stepped down the pitch to hit Sophie for a boundary. Ashleigh flicked and slammed Saima Thakor for two sixes, before Laura hit her for the third maximum of the over as 20 runs came off the fifth over.
The 55-run stand for the third wicket came to an end when Sophie cramped Laura for room and pace, as the batter was castled through the gate. But Ashleigh marched forward to smash full tosses for boundaries, including one clubbed over deep square leg for six to get her fifty.
But against the run of play, Ashleigh pulled straight to short fine leg and fell to Tahlia McGrath. From there, Deandra and Harleen showed good strokeplay on front foot and back foot to hit eight boundaries collectively and finish off the chase with two overs to spare.
Brief Scores: UP Warriorz 143/9 (Deepti Sharma 39, Uma Chetry 24; Priya Mishra 3-25, Deandra Dottin 2-34) lost to Gujarat Giants 144/4 in 18 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 52, Harleen Deol 34 not out; Sophie Ecclestone 2-16, Grace Harris 1-1) by six wickets
–IANS
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