Vadodara, Feb 17 (UNI) Ashleigh Gardner led Gujarat Giants to their first victory of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 with a dominant performance, smashing a brisk half-century to set up a comfortable chase against UP Warriorz at Kotambi Stadium.
Winning an important toss, Gujarat opted to bowl first, a decision that proved fruitful as their bowlers executed a clinical performance to restrict UP to 143/9, the lowest total of the tournament so far.
Despite an encouraging start from Kiran Navgire, who played a few fluent strokes, UP lost momentum after she was trapped leg-before-wicket by Deandra Dottin. A crucial 50-run stand between Deepti Sharma (39) and Uma Chetry (24) provided some resistance, but the innings faltered following their dismissals.
The turning point came when Priya Mishra produced a game-changing over, dismissing the dangerous Tahlia McGrath (0) and Grace Harris (4), reducing the Warriorz to 78/5. The lower order, led by Alana King (19 not out) and Saima Thakor (15), managed to push the total to 143, but the score remained below par, particularly with dew expected to play a role in the second innings.
Chasing 144, Gujarat Giants faced early hiccups as skipper Beth Mooney and Dayalan Hemalatha departed without scoring. However, a stabilising partnership between Laura Wolvaardt (22) and Gardner (52) put the hosts back on track. The duo added 55 runs, easing the pressure on Gujarat.
Gardner was at her fluent best, dismantling the UP bowling attack with a well-paced knock. Despite losing Wolvaardt and Gardner against the run of play, Dottin (33*) and Harleen Deol (34*) ensured there were no further hiccups. The pair batted with composure, capitalising on the fielding lapses of the visitors, who dropped crucial catches at key moments.
The dew factor, coupled with sloppy fielding, compounded the problems for UP, making it difficult to defend their below-par total. Gujarat Giants eventually secured a comfortable victory with two overs to spare, marking a strong start to their WPL 2025 campaign.
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