Despite Deepti Sharma's unbeaten 88 UP Warriorz (UPW) fell short by eight runs against the Gujarat Giants (GG) in their Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 group stage clash. This loss opens the door for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to climb back into playoff contention. After this win, GG remained at the bottom of the table, albeit with four points. Meanwhile, RCB and Warriorz are tied with six points each with Smriti Mandhana's side taking the third spot with superior net run rate of +0.027 in comparison to the latter's -0.371. Batting first Giants rode on Beth Mooney's 52-ball 74 to post a challenging total of 152/8. In reply, barring Deepti's batting heroics, none of the Warriorz's batters stood up as they did manage to take the game to last over but to only see their side losing.
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Shabnam Shakil keeps Warriorz in check
Meanwhile, 16-year-old pacer Shabnam Shakil emerged on the big stage with a stellar performance, taking three wickets for just 11 runs. Her bowling brilliance overshadowed Deepti's unbeaten 88-run knock and practically ended the Warriorz's hopes of qualifying for the WPL playoffs. Chasing a target of 153 set by the Giants, the Warriorz, needing a win to stay alive in the race, fell short by eight runs despite Deepti's valiant 60-ball 88. Their batting crumbled early, collapsing to 35/5, leaving them with a monumental task. Poonam Khemnar's 36 offered some support, but it was too little, too late.
This loss effectively eliminates the Warriorz from contention. Even if Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) lose their final game, they're likely to advance due to a superior net run rate (assuming RCB doesn't lose by a huge margin).
Shabnam, playing just her second game this season, wreaked havoc on the Warriorz batting lineup. She dismissed experienced players like Alyssa Healy, Chamari Athapaththu, and her former U-19 teammate Shweta Sehrawat, shattering any hopes of a Warriorz comeback. Her tall frame, high-arm action, and deceptive swing proved too much to handle for the batters.
Mooney, Wolvaardt shines for Giants
Earlier, the UP Warriorz's bowling attack, spearheaded by their spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad, put the Gujarat Giants under pressure early on. However, sloppy fielding by the young Indian fielders in the Warriorz side allowed the Giants to score an additional 25 runs, despite being restricted to a total of 152 for 8 wickets. Earlier, Beth Mooney (74*) and Laura Wolvaardt (43) had laid a solid foundation for the Giants with a 60-run partnership in just 7.5 overs. But once Wolvaardt departed, Ecclestone (3/38) and Deepti (2/22) tightened the screws, taking crucial wickets and stifling the run flow. Gujarat's batting woes continued, with their young Indian players, Bharati Fulmali, Dayalan Hemlatha, and Tanuja Kanwer, failing to capitalize with poor shot selection and decision-making. This put extra pressure on the experienced duo of Mooney and Wolvaardt, who have had to carry much of the batting burden in the absence of consistent performances from Phoebe Litchfield and Ashleigh Gardner.
Mooney's patient knock, largely consisting of singles, was aided by the dropped catches and misfields by the Warriorz fielders, particularly Shweta Sehrawat, Poonam Khemnar, and Saima Thakor. These youngsters' fielding exposed their inexperience at this level.
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