Gujarat Giants vs Mumbai Indians, Match 19 Match Summary

Match intro - The league stage is drawing to a close, but the drama is far from over as the race for the playoffs goes right down to the wire. With a win over UP Warriorz in their final league match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have confirmed their place in the final, but the other two playoff spots are still to be locked in. The penultimate league game of the season sees the Gujarat Giants take on the Mumbai Indians at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara. GG control their fate - After a mid-season wobble that saw them lose three games in a row, Gujarat have revived their campaign with two successive wins and now find themselves needing a victory to secure a spot in the Eliminator. A defeat would leave them anxiously waiting for the outcome of the final league game between UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals, hoping Delhi do not win. That revival has needed Devine intervention. Sophie Devine's all-round impact has been crucial, but if Gujarat are to make a deep run in the tournament, they will know they need more than individual heroics and a stronger collective performance. There have been positives with the bat. Beth Mooney finally brought up her first fifty of the season, even if she wasn't at her fluent best, while Anushka Sharma has continued to show encouraging signs. With the ball, Renuka Singh Thakur and Kashvee Gautam haven't quite been able to put it together for long periods. Rajeshwari Gayakwad, though, has relished bowling on the slow, low Vadodara tracks, picking up three wickets in each of the last two games, which have come at an important time, given that skipper Ashleigh Gardner hasn't been as influential as in previous seasons. MI chase qualification - This is slightly unfamiliar territory for the two-time champions. A win in their last outing has kept the Mumbai Indians firmly in the hunt, and another victory will see them through. They also boast the best net run rate among the four teams, and the only positive one, with the others in the negative. A defeat, however, would take destiny out of their hands. If Delhi Capitals beat UP Warriorz on Sunday, Delhi will progress, and Mumbai will be knocked out, while a UP win would bring net run rate into play in a three-way battle. The opening issues haven't quite gone away, but Hayley Matthews getting among the runs has come at a crucial time and will give them confidence heading into this contest. The batting has largely been driven by Nat Sciver-Brunt, who became the first centurion of the WPL and has led the charge with remarkable consistency. While she may not have been at her very best with the ball, her contributions with the bat have more than made up for it. Selection, though, could yet pose a dilemma. Nicola Carey missed the previous game through injury, but her all-round performances this season have been outstanding and hard to ignore. If she is declared fit, will Mumbai resist the temptation of bringing her back and if not, who makes way? Team form (Last 5 T20s, latest result first) - GG - WWLLL | MI - WLLLW. Can Gujarat get on the board? The Mumbai Indians have never lost to the Gujarat Giants in the WPL, winning all eight meetings so far. But if there was ever a time for Gujarat to break that streak, this might just be it, with a knockout spot on the line and a chance to make a statement. What to expect? Speaking after the previous game, Ashleigh Gardner felt the pitches in this Vadodara leg have progressively improved, suggesting it is a combination of surfaces getting better and batters growing more accustomed to the conditions. That certainly seems to be playing out. Let's hope we are treated to another high-quality contest that does justice to the stakes on offer.