Vadodara (Gujarat), February 16: Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner won the toss and chose to bowl first in their Women’s Premier League 2025 clash against UP Warriorz on Sunday in Vadodara.
The Gujarat Giants will be aiming for their first win after narrowly losing to the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bangalore, in their tournament opener despite posting a total over 200. On the other hand, UP Warriorz, with several in-form players on their roster, will be eager to kick off their campaign on a positive note.
After winning the toss, Ashleigh Gardner explained the decision: “We’ll have a bowl tonight. The dew plays a part, but I also think it is a hard ground to defend on. So, we need to take wickets early. We batted really well in the first game, but today we need to be more clinical in the field and try to be really simple with the ball in hand. No changes.”
UP Warriorz captain Deepti Sharma, during the toss, mentioned, “Would have bowled as well. We’ve had good practice sessions and match simulations, so we’re looking forward to playing today. There were plenty of bonding sessions during the camps, so it feels like we know each other’s strengths. Our four overseas players are Alana, Grace, Tahlia McGrath, and Sophie Ecclestone. It’s a debut for Alana King and Kranti Goud.”
Gujarat Giants (Playing XI):
Beth Mooney(w), Laura Wolvaardt, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner(c), Deandra Dottin, Simran Shaikh, Harleen Deol, Tanuja Kanwar, Sayali Satghare, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam.
UP Warriorz (Playing XI):
Vrinda Dinesh, Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Kiran Navgire, Uma Chetry(w), Deepti Sharma(c), Sophie Ecclestone, Alana King, Shweta Sehrawat, Saima Thakor, Kranti Goud.