WPL 2024: RCB stay alive in playoff race after Gujarat Giants beat UP Warriorz
Deepti Sharma played a lone hand but her unbeaten 88-run knock went in vain as UP Warriorz suffered an 8-run loss to Gujarat Giants in the group clash of Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024.
With this loss, UP Warriorz handed RCB a lifeline in the race to play off in the WPL 2024. Sixteen-year-old pacer Shabnam Shakil showcased her talent with impressive figures of 3/11, overshadowing Deepti Sharma’s performance, as the Gujarat Giants dealt a blow to the UP Warriorz’ hopes of advancing to the knockout stages with an eight-run victory in the Women’s Premier League.
Despite Deepti’s unbeaten 88 off 60 balls, the Warriorz fell short, managing only 144 for 5 while chasing a target of 153 set by the Giants. Deepti’s partner, Poonam Khemnar, contributed 36 runs off as many balls, but the early loss of wickets left the Warriorz struggling at 35 for 5, making their recovery an uphill battle.
The Warriorz concluded their campaign with six points, leaving their qualification hopes in jeopardy with a negative net run-rate of -0.371. Even if RCB loses their last game, they are likely to maintain a superior net run-rate, unless they suffer a significant defeat.
Shabnam, playing only her second game of the season, made a significant impact by dismissing experienced players Alyssa Healy, Chamari Athapaththu, and her former India U-19 teammate Shweta Sehrawat, crushing the Warriorz’ chances of finishing in the top three.
UP Warriorz’s spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, and Rajeswari Gayakwad made life difficult for the Gujarat Giants before Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 74 gave them some breathing room with a total of 152 for 8 in a WPL game on Monday.
Young Indian fielders on the Warriorz side made simple mistakes in catching and holding fort in the deep, costing the team an additional 25 runs. Ecclestone (3/38 in 4 overs), Deepti (2/22 in 4 overs), and Gayakwad (1/28 in 4 overs) tightened the noose around the Giants after Mooney and Wolvaardt (43 off 30 balls) added 60 in 7.5 overs to lay the groundwork.
However, things went wrong for the Giants after Wolvardt was dismissed; Ecclestone and Deepti stopped the run-flow, taking key wickets in the process. Gujarat’s Indian talent has been below average, and Bharati Fulmali, Dayalan Hemlatha, and Tanuja Kanwer once again failed to impress with weak game sense and shot selection.
With Phoebe Litchfield and Ashleigh Gardner failing this season, Wolvardt and Mooney have had a lot of strain. Mooney scored at a run-a-ball pace for the majority of her innings, and the UP Warriorz fielders’ profligacy assisted her in scoring some extra runs. Shweta Sehrwat, Poonam Khemnar, and Saima Thakor are still not ready for top-flight cricket and are a long way from being competent fielders at this level.