🏏 WPL 2024: Match 18: GG W vs UP W at Delhi🏏

🏏WPL 2024: Match 18: GG W vs UP W  at Delhi on 11/03/2024 at 7:30PM IST🏏

While GG are last in the points table, with only one win from six games, UPW are fourth, having won three out of their seven matches.Despite having only two points on the board, Gujarat Giants still have a mathematical possibility of making it to the playoffs. To be honest though, if that happens, it would be something of a miracle as multiple permutations and combinations need to fall in place. GG didn’t help their chances, going down to Mumbai Indians (MI) by seven wickets in their previous match as Harmanpreet Kaur played a stellar knock.

UP Warriorz are also alive in the qualification race. They need to beat Gujarat Giants first and then wait for the result of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) final league game. In their previous match, UPW registered a stunning one-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) as Deepti Sharma claimed a hat-trick after scoring a half-century.

The events of the last three days have allowed UP Warriorz to stay alive in WPL 2024 and have a strong shot at making it to the last three. While much will depend on how Royal Challengers Bangalore fare in their final game, the first task for UPW would be to secure a win against a resurgent Gujarat Giants.

Despite losing five out of six games, Giants have somehow kept themselves in with a mathematical possibility of making it to the top-three. The reliance, and the reason for the resurgence, however has been on the captain Beth Mooney's form with the bat. After struggling to post strong scores in the Bengaluru leg, Giants have found the conditions much more friendlier in Delhi. Mooney has scored back-to-back fifties, and found support from Laura Wolvaardt and Dayalan Hemalatha in the last two games respectively, but a common thread of worry had added to their already existing woes - the inability to power along in the death overs after a big partnership.

Their bowling attack has mostly outweighed their reputation, but given their inexperience, can UPW put them under pressure like Mumbai Indians did on Saturday night? For that, as for now, Alyssa Healy would need her batters to provide more punch than they have so far in the tournament. But she will take heart, and hopefully the momentum, from her team's nervy 1-run win over Delhi Capitals in the previous game.

It's a high-stakes contest. The team that loses the contest will be out of qualification for the next round.

Pitch Report:

The surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is one that produces a slow and steady wicket. However, ever since the ODI World Cup 2023, it has proven to be a batter’s paradise and could turn out to be a high-scoring encounter. Hence, opting to bat first after winning the toss can be considered a wise decision at this venue. 

Head-to-Head Record:

Matches Played 3

Gujarat Giants Women won 0

UP Warriorz Women won 3

What they said:

"I guess, T20 cricket, you really have to bowl well to defend these. We thought 190 was a good score. It's really tough... There's still a lot of positives, certainly from a batting perspective we're clicking. Just one or two balls that are going for boundaries, can probably keep things a little tighter" - Beth Mooney after GG's loss against MI.

"I thought... this is exactly cricket, anything can happen. Great game of cricket, what a showcase for our sport on International Women's Day... Can't fault the girls irrespective of the result, proud of their effort. We held our nerve when we needed to and got the job done. Really proud of the girls" - Alyssa Healy after UPW's 1-run win over DC.

What to expect: Barring Harmanpreet Kaur's heroics that powered Mumbai Indians to a sensational win over Gujarat Giants on Saturday, none of the other chasing teams have had much success in the second leg of WPL 2024. The team that aces the low and slow nature of Feroz Shah Kotla, will have an advantage

Team News:

UP Warriorz: The decision to bring back Tahlia McGrath in place of Chamari Athapaththu in the previous game didn't get UPW the desired result, and there could be a case to either bring back Chamari - who was effective with the ball - or try out Danni Wyatt in place of the Australian all-rounder.

Probable XI: Alyssa Healy, Kiran Navgire, Deepti Sharma, Tahlia McGrath/Chamari Athapaththu/Danni Wyatt, Shweta Sehrawat, Grace Harris, Poonam Khenmar, Sophie Eccelstone, Gouhar Sultana, Saima Thakor, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Gujarat Giants: The Beth Mooney-led side have struggled in clutch moments and even at times when they have had the upperhand. But there isn't much option to fall back on

Gujarat Giants: Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney, Dayalan Hemalatha, Phoebe Litchfield, Ash Gardner, Bharti Fulmali, Kathryn Bryce, Tanuja Kanwer, Sneh Rana, Meghana Singh, Shabnam Shakil/Mannat Kashyap

Thanks for the tag Soni.

May the best team win.

Cheers..

Probable Best Batter of the Match: Grace Harris

UP Warriorz’ Grace Harris could be the best batter in game 18 of the ongoing WPL 2024 With 273 runs in her last nine games, Harris is one of the highest run-getters of the tournament, and her performance could be key to Warriorz’s success.

Probable Best Bowler of the Match: Ashleigh Gardner

Gujarat Giants women’s Ashleigh Gardner could be the best bowler in game 18 of the ongoing WPL 2024. With 12 wickets in her last 10 matches, Gardner’s performance could be crucial for Giants.

Today’s Match Prediction: UP Warriorz to win the match

Scenario 1

Gujarat Giants Women win the toss and bat

Power Play score - 40-50

First Innings- 150-160

UP Warriorz Women win the match

Scenario 2

UP Warriorz Women win the toss and bat

Power Play Score - 45-55

First Innings - 160-170

UP Warriorz Women win the match

Thanks for the tag soni

Thank you, Soni, for the thread and for tagging me.  

May the best team win this match, Best wishes to both teams.