Gujarat Giants created history during their WPL 2026 match against Mumbai Indians on January 13, 2026. The team retired out Ayushi Soni, making her the first player to experience this dismissal type in WPL history.
What Happened During the Match?
Ayushi Soni walked out to bat at number six for Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium. She struggled to find her rhythm and scored just 11 runs off 14 balls. She failed to hit a single boundary during her stay at the crease.
The Gujarat Giants management made a bold call at the end of the 16th over. With the scoreboard reading 136 for 5, they decided to retire Soni out. This tactical move allowed hard-hitting Bharti Fulmali to take her place with four overs remaining.
A Historic Moment in Women’s Cricket
This incident marks only the second time a player has faced a “retired out” dismissal in women’s franchise T20 cricket. Kathryn Bryce holds the record for the first such dismissal. She experienced this while playing for Manchester Originals against Northern Superchargers in The Hundred 2024.
Why Did Gujarat Giants Make This Decision?
Head coach Michael Klinger explained the reasoning behind this unusual move. The coaching staff discussed the situation during the 13-over timeout. They asked Soni to increase her scoring rate after the 15th over.
However, when she couldn’t accelerate, they brought in Bharti Fulmali. Klinger believed Fulmali’s big-hitting ability would help the team reach a competitive total.
“We knew we had some batters left. In hindsight, it got us probably 20 more runs,” Klinger said at the post-match press conference.
The decision proved correct in terms of scoring. Bharti Fulmali smashed an unbeaten 36 off just 15 balls. She hit three fours and three sixes during her explosive innings. Her partnership with Georgia Wareham added 56 runs and pushed Gujarat Giants to 192 for 5.
The Match Outcome
Despite the impressive total, Gujarat Giants lost the match. Mumbai Indians chased down the target with four balls to spare. Harmanpreet Kaur played a stellar knock to guide her team home.
Soni’s WPL Debut
This match marked Ayushi Soni’s WPL debut. She replaced Anushka Sharma in the playing eleven. Anushka suffered a minor fielding injury during Gujarat Giants’ previous win over Delhi Capitals.
Klinger supported Soni after the match. He praised her for building a partnership with Georgia Wareham. He also confirmed that the team spoke to her immediately after the decision and assured her of their confidence in her abilities.
