🏏 WPL 2024: Match 16: GG W vs MI W at Delhi🏏

🏏WPL 2024: Match 16: GG W vs MI 

W at Delhi on 09/03/2024 at 7:30PM IST🏏

Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants will be playing for two different motives when they take on each other at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday. While the defending champions are tugging it out with Delhi Capitals for the top spot, in order to get a direct qualification to the final, Giants are merely trying to stay alive in the competition - with much of that fate left in the hands of other teams and results.

A winless run through the Bengaluru leg of the competition didn't help their cause much, but a thumping show by the openers - Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney - in the previous encounter against RCB not only gave them momentum in the tournament, but also kept many other possibilities open. 

A tournament which had injuries and withdrawals for the Giants even before the tournament had started out, has become worse with the exit of Harleen Deol heading into the last stretch of the league phase. The match-winning performance by Wolvaardt and Mooney notwithstanding, the rest of the batters failed to mount pressure in the death. It's been a tournament where their batters have largely struggled. The dependency of the inexperienced bowling attack to go with some sub-par catching by the fielders doesn't help their case much. 

So while all teams in the tournament - except Mumbai Indians - would be cheering them on to gain their second consecutive win, can they execute the best of what they promise on paper?

Mumbai Indians Women vs Gujarat Giants Women Pitch Report
The pitch report will be broadcast live from the Arun Jaitley Stadium before the toss. The wicket in Delhi has slowed down a bit as the tournament has progressed. Last night, UP Warriorz successfully defended a 139-run target at this venue.

Originally posted by: SoniRita

A winless run through the Bengaluru leg of the competition didn't help their cause much, but a thumping show by the openers - Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney - in the previous encounter against RCB not only gave them momentum in the tournament, but also kept many other possibilities open. 

A tournament which had injuries and withdrawals for the Giants even before the tournament had started out, has become worse with the exit of Harleen Deol heading into the last stretch of the league phase. The match-winning performance by Wolvaardt and Mooney notwithstanding, the rest of the batters failed to mount pressure in the death. It's been a tournament where their batters have largely struggled. The dependency of the inexperienced bowling attack to go with some sub-par catching by the fielders doesn't help their case much. 

So while all teams in the tournament - except Mumbai Indians - would be cheering them on to gain their second consecutive win, can they execute the best of what they promise on paper?

All the best MI

Mumbai Indians Women vs Gujarat Giants Women Weather Forecast

The temperature will stay around 18 degrees during the match hours. The humidity levels will be in the range of 63%, while the skies will be clear with periodic clouds during the game.

What they said: 

Plenty of emotions to be honest, we've been waiting for 5 games. Lot of happiness and satisfaction in the change room. We just played like we have nothing to lose - Ash Gardner, Gujarat Giants all-rounder, after the team's win over RCB

Team News:

Mumbai Indians: Even as the defending champions would have hoped to put in a better batting performance in the previous game, they are unlikely to make any changes to their XI.

Probable XI: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Amanjot Kaur, S Sajana, Pooja Vastrakar, Shabnim Ismail, Humaira Kazi, Saika Ishaque

Gujarat Giants: Bharti Fulmali has been drafted in as a replacement for Harleen Deol, but she is unlikely to find a place in the XI.

Probable XI: Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield, Veda Krishnamurthy, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Kathryn Bryce, Tanuja Kanwer, Meghana Singh, Mannat Singh, Shabnam Shakil

Match Prediction

Gujarat Giants have never won a match against Mumbai Indians, but if Beth Mooney and Laura Wolvaardt stitch up an extraordinary partnership like they did against RCB, GG can trouble MI. The team batting first may have a slight upper hand in this contest. Expect GG to upset MI to make the race to the WPL 2024 playoffs more exciting.

The Mumbai Indians Women have won four games and have lost only twice this season. They have an excellent record against the Gujarat Giants and never lost a game against them. It is a must-win game for the Gujarat Giants, and it will be interesting to see if they pass the test.  Gujarat Giants have lost the last three games against MI Women