Gujarat Giants Eye WPL 2025 Comeback vs UP Warriorz After Loss To RCB

Gujarat Giants will hope their bowlers complement the batters and fielding shows overall improvement after a crushing defeat in the Women's Premier League season opener, when they take on the UP Warriorz here on Sunday. Gujarat Giants produced a unified batting show to set a commanding 202-run target against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru but their bowling frailties were exposed in the first game of the season itself when as many as six options also could not contain the opposition batters.

Richa Ghosh was dropped on the first ball she faced and the India wicketkeeper-batter made GG pay a hefty price for the mistake, striking 64 off only 26 balls (7x4s, 4x6s) to quickly turn the tables.

GG' Tanuja Kanwar had also spilled Ellyse Perry's catch when she was batting on two. The Australian great too made the most of the reprieve as she hit a 34-ball 57 to anchor RCB's record chase.

Gujarat Giants had earlier produced a fine batting show with fifties from former skipper Beth Mooney (56) and incumbent leader Ashleigh Gardner (79 not out) propelling them to 201 for five on a fresh surface here at the Kotambi Stadium.

The opening game of the third season here on Friday was not just the highest match aggregate in WPL but also witnessed highest run chase, implying that batters will continue to make merry and the bowlers will have to keep evolving new plans.

With only one day to turn their focus on the second match, the Giants will be challenged to regroup and find ways to execute better with the ball and the field.

On the other hand, UP Warriorz would take the field under a new captain, India's Deepti Sharma, after their regular skipper Alyssa Healy opted out of the competition due to a string of injuries.

Deep