🏏WPL 2025: Match 15 - GG W vs UP Warriorz W at Lucknow, 03/03/25🏏

🏏WPL 2025: Match 1 - GG W vs RCB Women, Vadodara on 14/02/2025 at 7:30PM🏏

Mandhana's defending champs take on Gardner's Giants to kick off WPL 2025

Ellyse Perry, who recently suffered a hip injury, could be a doubtful starter for RCB

Who's playing

Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, February 14, 2025, 7.30pm IST

What to expect: Mandhana vs Gardner

No bowler has dismissed Smriti Mandhana more often than Ashleigh Gardner in Women's T20s or in ODIs. With Gardner assuming the captaincy of Giants, she could look to bring herself on early against the RCB captain. With Mandhana in sublime form, it could be an interesting contest.

Two of Giants' four wins across two seasons of the WPL have come against RCB, including their first-ever victory.

Team news and likely XIs: Mooney's opening partner, Perry's fitness in focus

The choice of Beth Mooney's opening partner could pose a headache for Giants. Given Deandra Dottin commands a place in the XI, only one of Laura Wolvaardt and Phoebe Litchfield might find a place in the XI.

Gujarat Giants (probable): 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Laura Wolvaardt, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Deandra Dottin, 5 Dayalan Hemalatha, 6 Ashleigh Gardner (capt), 7 Simran Shaikh, 8 Sayali Satghare, 8 Meghna Singh, 9 Tanuja Kanwar, 10 Kashvee Gautam, 11 Shabnam Shakil/Mannat Kashyap.

Ellyse Perry is heading into WPL 2025 on the back of suffering a hip injury during the Women's Ashes Test in Melbourne. She could take the No. 4 spot in the absence of Sophie Devine. If Perry does not pull up well for the opening game, RCB could go with Georgia Wareham at No. 4 and play Charlie Dean as well. The injury to Asha Sobhana, a sure-starter who has been ruled out of the tournament, adds to the selection complications for them.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 3 S Meghana, 4 Ellyse Perry, 5 Richa Ghosh, 6 Raghvi Bist, 7 Kanika Ahuja, 8 Georgia Wareham, 9 Jagravi Pawar, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Renuka Singh.

Players to watch: Deandra Dottin and Richa Ghosh

With their acrimonious equation from WPL 2023 behind them, Deandra Dottin could be key to Giants' success. She made a successful return to internationals just ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup last year, where she was West Indies' leading run-scorer while picking up five wickets at an economy rate of 5.42. In the home T20Is against Bangladesh, Dottin scored 110 in three games at a strike rate of 203.70. Having played ODIs against India at the Kotambi Stadium, Dottin would have an idea of what to expect, and Giants would want her to step up with the ball too, especially at the death.

RCB will have it tough against well-rounded Giants

Very few Indian players in the WPL can do what Richa Ghosh can - finish matches as a power-hitter. With RCB battling player-unavailability and fitness issues, Ghosh will be a vital cog in that middle order. She showed good hitting form in the home season against West Indies and Ireland. RCB relied on her prowess last year to win the title. She is third in the list of most sixes in the WPL; expect her to move up as the season progresses. How she does could well decide how the defending champions start their campaign.

Key stats

• Ashleigh Gardner is Giants' leading run-scorer (324) as well as wicket-taker (17)
• Giants have had eight opening pairs in the two years, the most in the WPL.
• Giants have hit 43 sixes in the WPL, the fewest among all teams.
• RCB have two bowlers in their squad with T20I hat-tricks - Ekta Bisht and Heather Graham.

Head to Head - Last 4 Matches

GG Women won by 19 runs, 07-Mar-2024

RCB Women won by 8 wickets (with 45 balls remaining), 28-Feb-2024

RCB Women won by 8 wickets (with 27 balls remaining), 19-Mar-2023

GG Women won by 11 runs, 09-Mar-2023

Batters to watch(Recent stats)

Beth Mooney, GG-W

8 M • 285 Runs • 47.5 Avg • 141.08 SR

Laura Wolvaardt, GG-W

8 M • 252 Runs • 31.5 Avg • 136.95 SR

Ellyse Perry, RCB-W

9 M • 347 Runs • 69.4 Avg • 125.72 SR

Smriti Mandhana, RCB-W

10 M • 300 Runs • 30 Avg • 133.92 SR

Bowlers to watch(Recent stats)

Tanuja Kanwar, GG-W

10 M • 11 Wkts • 8.03 Econ • 19.63 SR

Ashleigh Gardner, GG-W

10 M • 8 Wkts • 8.42 Econ • 25.37 SR

Shreyanka Patil, RCB-W

8 M • 13 Wkts • 7.3 Econ • 9.92 SR

Ellyse Perry, RCB-W

7 M • 7 Wkts • 6.81 Econ • 13.71 SR

The highly anticipated third edition of the WPL 2025 (Women's Premier League) will finally get underway as Gujarat Giants Women (GJ-W) and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB-W) will take on each other in the opening game of the season on Friday, February 14, at the Kotambi Stadium, in Vadodara.

Gujarat finished at the bottom position of the points table in the previous season having won just two games out of eight matches with four points to their name. But with leadership change, the Giants will be hoping for a change in fortune.

Meanwhile, RCB lifted their maiden title in the 2024 season under Smriti Mandhana. The side was the third team to qualify for the playoffs after winning four out of eight league games. In the summit clash against Delhi Capitals, the Bengaluru-based franchise comfortably chased down a total of 113 with eight wickets and three balls to spare.

Pitch Report

The pitch of the Kotambi Stadium seems a bowling-friendly one. Batters need to struggle here to post a high total on the board. The ground sets offer more assistance to spinners as compared to pacers. Kotambi’s dry and turning surface will also help the spinners. Early movement for pacers is expected, but as the game progresses, spinners are likely to dominate. Batting first is often a better choice, especially as the pitch slows down.

Probable Best Batter: Ellyse Perry

Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Ellyse Perry was the leading run-scorer of the last season with 347 runs to her name from nine innings at an average of 69.40 and a strike rate of 125.72 with two fifties. She will look to start the third season with a big score again.

Probable Best Bowler: Ashleigh Gardner

Gujarat Giants Women’s newly appointed skipper Ashleigh Gardner could be the best bowler in the upcoming game. In the previous season, she picked seven wickets in eight matches. However, Gardner looked in great touch in the recent Women's Ashes series against England and will be looking to continue her fine form.

Today's Match Prediction: Team batting first to win the match

Scenario 1

• Gujarat Giants Women win the toss and bat
• PP Score - 30-40
• GJ-W - 140-150
• Gujarat Giants Women win the match

Scenario 2

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women win the toss and bat
• PP score - 40-50
• BLR-W- 150-160
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women win the match

Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.