WPL 2023, Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz, Highlights: UP Warriorz Defeat GG By Three Wickets, Enter Playoffs
GG Women vs UPW Women, WPL 2023: Top knock from Grace Harris guided UP Warriorz to a victory by three wickets against Gujarat Giants in their Women's Premier League match
- NDTV Sports Desk
- Updated: March 20, 2023 08:48 pm IST
Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz, WPL 2023, Highlights: Top knock from Grace Harris guided UP Warriorz to a victory by three wickets against Gujarat Giants in their Women's Premier League match, at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. Opting to bat first, Gujarat lost some wickets initially but Ashleigh Gardner (60) and Dayalan Hemlatha (57) smashed their respective half-centuries to take their side to a total of 178/6 in 20 overs. Later, UP Warriorz stumbled a bit but Grace Harris smashed 72 off 41 balls while Tahlia McGrath scored 57 off 38 balls as they registered a three-wicket win to enter the Playoffs stage. (Scorecard)
Gujarat Giants (Playing XI): Sophia Dunkley, Laura Wolvaardt, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Sushma Verma(w), Sneh Rana(c), Kim Garth, Monica Patel, Tanuja Kanwar, Ashwani Kumari
UP Warriorz (Playing XI): Devika Vaidya, Alyssa Healy(w/c), Kiran Navgire, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Simran Shaikh, Parshavi Chopra, Anjali Sarvani, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Here are the Highlights of the WPL 2023 match between Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz, straight from the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai:
GGW vs UPWW, WPL 2023 Match Highlights
That is it then from this game and it marks the end of the road for Gujarat who have played their final game of the campaign. Alyssa Healy and her troops though go marching on. There is one more game to come in the Women's T20 League and it is about to begin real soon. The top two teams, Mumbai and Delhi square off against each other in Navi Mumbai and that game will begin at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). You can simply switch tabs and catch our coverage of that game. Cheers!
Grace Harris (72 runs off 41 balls) is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for her sensational knock.
The Presentation ceremony...
Earlier in the game, Sneh Rana won the toss and opted to bat first under the sun and on a flat track, Gujarat got off to a solid start with the bat. Laura Wolvaardt and Sophia Dunkley though both fell in quick succession which put them on the back foot a bit. Then came the sensational 93-run stand between Dayalan Hemalatha and Ashleigh Gardner with both batters notching up a half-century. Neither of them could stay until the end which meant that Gujarat had to settle for 178 runs. For UP, Anjali Sarvani and Sophie Ecclestone were brilliant with the ball. Rajeshwari Gayakwad bowled well for her two wickets but it was the youngster Parshavi Chopra who really turned the game with her double-breakthrough. Coming to the chase, UP were able to come back from a poor start thanks to a couple of sensational innings from Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris, they were able to go on and win the game.
Gujarat did all they could but it just wasn't enough. After a decent score on the board, they got a solid start as the pacers, Kim Garth and Monica Patel got early breakthroughs. They couldn't, however, build on the pressure in the middle phase and their spinners were targeted by the opposition's batters. Ashleigh Gardner bowled well to bring her side back into the game and so did Kim Garth. Sneh Rana bowled a tidy final over but ended up conceding the match-sealing boundary with a ball to spare.
UP have done it and they are in the playoffs! It was a high-octane chase as they lost 3 wickets early on and then had to rebuild. It was then a mammoth stand of 78 runs between the two Aussies, Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris that got them into a good position. McGrath was the one who found the fence with ease and got to 50 before getting out. After she got out though, UP went into a bit of a slump but Grace Harris remained unfazed and struck the ball brilliantly before getting out on 72. Just like last time, Sophie Ecclestone gave good support to Harris and finished the game with a calm head.
What a game and what a way for UP to seal a playoff berth! The game swung like a pendulum but in the end, the knock from Grace Harris and the finishing touch of Sophie Ecclestone was enough to take UP over the line with just a ball to spare. Heartbreak for Gujarat as they are knocked out of the competition alongside Bangalore.
FOUR! THAT'S IT! Sophie Ecclestone gets UP over the line once again! Sneh Rana goes fullish and on off, Sophie Ecclestone shuffles across and sweeps it through the vacant fine leg region for a boundary. She is delighted and so are her teammates in the dugout. UP win by 3 wickets and qualify for the playoffs!
Anjali Sarvani is in next but she will be at the non-striker's end.
OUT! RUN OUT! Low full toss on middle, Sophie Ecclestone shimmies down the track and drills it down to long on. She wants to return for the second but Simran Shaikh is a bit slow to turn. Ashleigh Gardner at long on collects it cleanly and throws it to Sneh Rana at the non-striker's end who does the rest. The replays show that Simran Shaikh is short of her crease and UP now need 2 runs from 2 balls.
Is that a run-out? Sophie Ecclestone wants to straight away and Simran Shaikh responds. Ashleigh Gardner is a bit slow to get rid of the ball from long on as she fires in a throw at the bowler's end. Sneh Rana whips off the bails and the replays show that Simran is well short. OUT is the decision on the big screen but Sophie Ecclestone has managed to retain strike.
Fired in short and on leg, Simran Shaikh goes back and pulls but gets an inside edge on her pads. The ball rolls on the off side and batters scamper for a single.
Tries to go full but bowls a low full toss on middle, Sophie Ecclestone steps out again and goes for a big heave. But, it goes only as far deep mid-wicket for a run.
Sneh Rana goes full and on middle and leg, Sophie Ecclestone shimmies down the track and places this one in front of deep mid-wicket. Her placement is excellent which allows her to come back for the second run.
Sneh Rana (3-0-38-1) brings herself back on to bowl the final over. Can she defend 6 runs and pull off a miracle here?
DROPPED! Keeps it full and outside off, Simran Shaikh smashes this one hard and to the left of the bowler. Kim Garth gets her hands to the ball but the ball does not stick and pops out. UP need 7 runs from 6 balls.
Simran Shaikh is in next.
OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Kim Garth switches to 'round the wicket and bowls it full and angling across outside off, Grace Harris tries to go over long on again but does not time this one well. Skies this one high in the air towards long on where Harleen Deol settles herself under the high ball and completes the catch. Grace Harris departs after a fine knock with UP needing 7 runs from 7 balls.
SIX! That should do it for UP! Kim Garth goes full again and outside off, Grace Harris gets into a good position by going deep in her crease. Thumps this one well over the long on fence for a maximum.
Low full toss on off, Sophie Ecclestone goes deep in her crease and works it to long on for a run.