The Women’s Premier League 2026 served up another exciting contest on January 22 in Vadodara. Gujarat Giants crushed UP Warriorz by 45 runs, thanks to some brilliant spin bowling. Rajeshwari Gayakwad stole the spotlight with her match-winning spell of 3 wickets for just 16 runs. Sophie Devine anchored the GG innings with a composed half-century, while the bowling unit dismantled UPW for just 108 runs.
For UP Warriorz, Phoebe Litchfield tried her best with 32 off 27 balls. Chloe Tryon stayed unbeaten on 30 runs. But their effort fell short as Gujarat’s spinners kept taking wickets at regular intervals. UPW lost all 10 wickets in 17.3 overs while chasing 154.
Match Summary
Here is the complete match summary of this one-sided affair:
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Gujarat Giants Women Score | 153/8 (20 overs) |
| UP Warriorz Women Score | 108/10 (17.3 overs) |
| Match Result | GG Women won by 45 runs |
| Best Batting (GG) | Sophie Devine – 50 off 42 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes) |
| Best Batting (UPW) | Phoebe Litchfield – 32 off 27 balls (5 fours) |
| Best Bowling (GG) | Rajeshwari Gayakwad – 3/16 in 4 overs (Econ: 4.00) |
| Best Bowling (UPW) | Kranti Gaud – 2/18 in 4 overs (Econ: 4.50) |
| Player of the Match | Rajeshwari Gayakwad (GG-W) |
Gujarat Giants Innings: 153/8 in 20 Overs
Gujarat Giants got off to a solid start in the powerplay. They scored 52 runs in the first six overs, losing only 2 wickets. Beth Mooney led the charge at the top of the order. She smashed 38 runs off 34 balls, hitting 5 boundaries. Her aggressive approach set the tone for the innings.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge fell early to Kranti Gaud for 14 runs. Anushka Sharma added 14 runs with 3 fours before Gaud struck again. But the real anchor arrived when Sophie Devine walked to the crease. The New Zealand star played a composed knock, scoring an unbeaten 50 off 42 balls. She hit 2 fours and 3 sixes, keeping the scoreboard ticking throughout.
Captain Ashleigh Gardner struggled with just 5 runs off 12 balls. Bharti Fulmali and Kanika Ahuja couldn’t stay long either. But Kashvee Gautam’s quick 11 off 6 balls gave the innings a late push. Gujarat reached 153/8 in their 20 overs, setting a target of 154 for UP Warriorz.
Shikha Pandey had a tough day, giving away 53 runs in her 4 overs without taking any wickets. Chloe Tryon also went for 32 runs in her spell. Kranti Gaud was the pick of the UPW bowlers with figures of 2/18.
UP Warriorz Chase: 108/10 in 17.3 Overs
UP Warriorz’s chase started on a disastrous note. Kiran Navgire departed without scoring on just the second ball of the innings. Beth Mooney stumped her off Renuka Singh’s bowling. Captain Meg Lanning tried to steady the ship with 14 runs off 10 balls, including 2 fours. But she fell to Kashvee Gautam in the 5th over.
Phoebe Litchfield looked promising at the crease. She scored 32 runs off 27 balls with 5 boundaries. Her partnership with Harleen Deol gave UPW some hope. But Gujarat’s bowling kept the pressure on. Harleen managed just 3 runs before falling to Renuka Singh.
The middle order collapsed under spin pressure. Deepti Sharma fell lbw to Rajeshwari Gayakwad for 4 runs. Shweta Sehrawat got stumped for 3. Asha Sobhana, Sophie Ecclestone, Shikha Pandey, and Kranti Gaud all fell cheaply. Only Chloe Tryon showed some fight with an unbeaten 30 off 22 balls, hitting 3 fours and a six.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad was the star with the ball. She took 3 wickets for just 16 runs in her 4 overs. Sophie Devine chipped in with 2 wickets, while Renuka Singh also grabbed 2 scalps. The combined spin attack of Gujarat proved too much for UP Warriorz batters to handle.
Key Highlight: Player of the Match – Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s Masterclass
The left-arm spinner put in a match-winning performance with the ball. Her figures of 3/16 in 4 overs broke the back of UPW’s chase. She dismissed Deepti Sharma, Shweta Sehrawat, and Asha Sobhana.
Her tight bowling gave batters no room to score freely. She bowled 13 dot balls and maintained an economy of just 4.00 runs per over.
Gayakwad’s wickets came at crucial moments. When UPW tried to rebuild, she struck. When they tried to accelerate, she struck again. Her control and variations made her nearly unplayable on this surface.
Conclusion: What This Result Means
Gujarat Giants moved up to second place in the WPL 2026 points table with 6 points from 6 matches. They now have 3 wins and 3 losses. This victory also boosts their net run rate.
UP Warriorz stay stuck at 4 points with 2 wins and 4 losses from 6 games. Their negative run rate of -0.769 puts them at the bottom of the table. They need to turn things around quickly in their remaining matches.
RCB Women continue to lead the table with 10 points from 5 matches. They remain unbeaten in the tournament so far. This match showed how important spin bowling is in WPL conditions. Gujarat’s spinners choked UP Warriorz and never let them settle.
