Gujarat Giants' Ash Gardner Reflects on Missed Opportunities Against Mumbai Indians
Post-Match Reflections from Ash Gardner
Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 14: After her team's defeat to the Mumbai Indians (MI), Gujarat Giants captain Ash Gardner expressed her disappointment over missed opportunities to dismiss MI's skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur. She also mentioned that she could have bowled more overs during the match.
Harmanpreet Kaur showcased her prowess with a stellar performance, supported by partnerships with Amanjot Kaur and Nicola Carey, leading MI to their second consecutive victory in the WPL after an earlier loss to RCB. This win elevated them to the second position in the standings. However, Harmanpreet's impressive score of 71* came with a few dropped catches from the Gujarat fielders.
During the post-match presentation, Gardner remarked, “It’s a common saying, but catches can indeed win matches. We had prided ourselves on our fielding in the first two games, but tonight we couldn’t afford to let chances slip, especially against top players. It’s disappointing to be on the losing side after three closely contested matches. Statistically, I haven’t fared well against Harmanpreet throughout my international career.”
Gardner employed seven different bowlers in the match but only bowled one over herself, conceding 10 runs. Renuka Singh and Kashvee Gautam were the only bowlers to complete their full quota of four overs.
She reflected on her bowling choices, stating, “As a captain, it’s easy to underutilize yourself. I had eight bowling options available, and at that moment, I believed there were better match-ups. In hindsight, I might have been the better choice, but it’s easy to say that after a loss. Had we won, I would have felt my decisions were justified. I could have bowled more, but I thought it wasn’t the right match-up at that time.”
Gardner praised her team’s middle-order strength, particularly highlighting Georgia Wareham and uncapped Indian batter Bharti Fulmali. “The firepower in our middle order is impressive. Fulmali has shown her ability to set up her innings and clear boundaries towards the end. We know what Webb (Wareham) can do, and it’s encouraging to see them finish innings strongly. I believed 193 was a competitive target, but as I mentioned, failing to capitalize on chances can be costly,” she added.
Regarding the decision to retire debutant Ayushi Soni, who scored 11 runs off 14 balls, Gardner explained, “I spoke to her right after our innings and clarified that it was a team decision. She seemed disappointed, but we needed someone who could score quickly and run well between the wickets. It’s tough for her, especially in her first WPL match, but she contributed to the team’s performance. We finished the innings well, but it just wasn’t our night.”
Earlier in the match, Gujarat Giants batted first, scoring 192/5 in their 20 overs, thanks to solid contributions from Georgia Wareham (43* off 33 balls) and Bharti Fulmali (36* off 15 balls).
In response, MI chased down the target after losing two early wickets, with Harmanpreet (71* off 43 balls), Amanjot Kaur (40 off 26 balls), and Nicola Carey (38* off 23 balls) leading the charge, finishing the chase with four balls to spare and seven wickets in hand. This victory marked MI's eighth consecutive win against Gujarat Giants.