Gujarat Giants (GG) vs Mumbai Indians (MI)Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, February 18, 2025, 7.30pm IST
What to anticipate: GG look to interrupt MI jinx
The final time MI and GG met, Harmanpreet Kaur cracked 95 off 48 balls as MI pulled off a heist and booked a playoffs spot final second. That meant MI have a 4-0 file in opposition to GG thus far.
However in contrast to the earlier two seasons, GG have began WPL 2025 on a a lot stronger be aware. Whereas it took them 5 makes an attempt to win their first recreation in 2024, their first victory this time got here of their second match, after they beat UP Warriorz (UPW) comfortably. However ineffective dying bowling continues to be a priority for GG. RCB took them for 79 runs off the final 4.3 overs, whereas UPW smashed 26 runs off the ultimate eight deliveries of their innings. With the bat, GG’s captain Ashleigh Gardner might be on the lookout for extra assist from the highest order, as their prime three tallied solely 22 runs between them in opposition to UPW.
In the meantime, MI began this season with an in depth loss in opposition to Delhi Capitals after three contentious run-out selections. MI stuttered their approach to 164 after Nat-Sciver Brunt (80*) and Harmanpreet (42) had given them a blazing begin. 4 of MI’s remaining top-seven batters fell for single-figure scores, and MI will hope issues change in opposition to GG.
GG have performed the identical XI in each matches thus far after handing out 4 debuts within the opener in opposition to RCB. However Sayali Satghare’s six overs throughout these two video games value 64 runs, and she or he struck solely as soon as. D Hemalatha, then again, managed scores of solely 4 and 0. So GG will hope they’re again in kind earlier than it will get too late.
Gujarat Giants (possible): 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Laura Wolvaardt, 3 D Hemalatha, 4 Ashleigh Gardner (capt), 5 Harleen Deol, 6 Deandra Dottin, 7 Simran Shaikh, 8 Tanuja Kanwar, 9 Sayali Satghare, 10 Priya Mishra, 11 Kashvee Gautam
MI have performed solely a solitary recreation thus far this season, and are unlikely to panic regardless of their batters under-performing. However they’ll need Saika Ishaque, their second-highest wicket-taker within the WPL, to place behind a disappointing outing in opposition to RCB, as she leaked 43 runs in three overs.
Mumbai Indians (possible): 1 Hayley Matthews, 2 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amelia Kerr, 6 S Sajana, 7 Amanjot Kaur, 8 Sanskriti Gupta, 9 Jintimani Kalita, 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Saika Ishaque
Deandra Dottin made her WPL debut solely this 12 months, however has already left a mark. She walked out to bat within the twelfth over in each matches, and struck at a speedy tempo, scoring 25 off 13 whereas batting first in opposition to RCB, after which an unbeaten 33* off 18 in a tough chase in opposition to UPW to make sure GG hunted down 144 with two overs to spare. GG will hope Dottin’s run continues, and helps them break their MI jinx.
Nat-Sciver Brunt might not have scored so much within the current Ashes however she confirmed her class in MI’s opening recreation. Batting at No.3, her 80 off 59 balls, which included 13 fours, fashioned the bedrock of MI’s whole. That’s almost half of the 172 runs she managed in 9 innings final WPL, and her kind might be a aid for MI, whose batting in any other case primarily rests on Harmanpreet’s shoulders within the center order.
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