Gujarat Giants Secure Narrow Victory Over UP Warriorz in WPL Thriller

In a gripping Women's Premier League match, Gujarat Giants narrowly defeated UP Warriorz by 10 runs. Georgia Wareham's all-round performance and Ashleigh Gardner's leadership were pivotal in this high-scoring encounter. Despite a valiant effort from UP Warriorz, they fell just short of the target. Read on to discover the key moments and standout performances from this thrilling match.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 11, 2026, 01:55 IST

Gujarat Giants Triumph in High-Scoring WPL Match

Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 10: In an exhilarating match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Gujarat Giants clinched a nail-biting 10-run victory against UP Warriorz on Saturday. Georgia Wareham was instrumental in this win, showcasing her all-round skills and earning the Player of the Match title.

Wareham made a significant contribution with the bat, scoring 27 runs off just 10 deliveries, which featured one four and three sixes. With the ball, she also shone, taking 2 wickets for 30 runs in her four overs.

“It’s a fantastic start to the tournament. Momentum is key in these competitions. Everyone contributed well, which was great to see. The bowlers did well on a flat pitch to secure wickets,” Wareham remarked during the post-match presentation, as reported by a Media Channel.

She highlighted the importance of her wicket of Meg Lanning, which came at a pivotal moment in the game. “I’m pretty sure it was pad-first. Moons (Beth Mooney) agreed too. Meg was a crucial wicket at that stage,” she added.

Gujarat Giants set a formidable target of 207 runs for the UP Warriorz, with captain Ashleigh Gardner leading the charge. She scored a solid 65 runs off 41 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes, which laid a strong foundation for her team.

“It was an exciting match for the spectators. We knew we needed to score over 200 runs around the 12-over mark. There were many lessons learned with both bat and ball. Our fielding was sharp, which made a difference,” Gardner stated post-match.

Gardner also commended young Anushka Sharma for her composed innings of 44 runs off 30 balls, which included seven boundaries. “She’s incredibly talented. Spending time in the middle and keeping it simple is impressive for a young player,” she noted.

On the bowling front, Gardner acknowledged the difficulties of managing her resources on a batting-friendly pitch. “We were looking for overs. I didn’t bowl particularly well, but I trust all my bowlers. Setting fields can be challenging when Litchfield is batting well. We needed to take wickets, and we did, which is great for our record,” she explained.

In response, UP Warriorz put up a valiant effort but ultimately fell short, finishing at 197 runs for 8 wickets. Despite the defeat, captain Meg Lanning found several positives in the match and praised the high-quality cricket played.

“It was a fantastic game. There were many positives, although winning would have been ideal. The Giants batted exceptionally well. We didn’t execute our plans as effectively as we hoped. It was a tough pitch to bowl on,” Lanning commented.

She also reflected on her bowling unit and the advantage of having Sophie Ecclestone in the team. “Most of our bowlers can perform at any time. Sophie is very experienced and it’s great to have her on our side. Both teams played well, and we need to find ways to restrict runs better,” Lanning concluded.