Gujarat Giants rode on an all-round team performance to beat table-toppers Delhi Capitals by five wickets in the ongoing WPL 2025 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday.
Our experienced pacer Meghna Singh bagged three wickets while all-rounder Deandra Dottin bagged two scalps to restrict the Capitals to 177/5 in 20 overs.
In reply, our stylish batter Harleen Deol played a match-winning knock of 70 runs along with contributions from Beth Mooney (44), Dottin (24) and captain Ashleigh Gardner (22) to help the Giants chase down the target with three balls to spare.
With our third consecutive win, we remain second in the WPL 2025 standings with eight points from seven matches.
Earlier, our bowlers were off to a challenging start as opposition openers Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma provided a good start.
In the ninth over, Meghna gave us the much-needed breakthrough as she dismissed Shafali (40) to end DC’s 83-run opening stand.
Dottin soon joined the party as she cleaned up Jess Jonassen for 9.
Meghna continued her impressive spell as she removed Jemimah Rodrigues (4) and Annabel Sutherland (14) in quick succession to reduce DC to 141/4.
At the other end, Lanning scored 92 to help the Capitals post 171/5 in their 20 overs.
Chasing 178, the Giants suffered an early blow as opening batter Dayalan Hemalatha departed for 1.
Harleen then joined Mooney at the crease. The swashbuckling duo stitched a crucial partnership which kept the Giants in the hunt.
Mooney and Harleen added 85 runs for the second wicket before she fell for 44. Despite losing Mooney’s wicket, captain Gardner led from the front with a counter-attacking knock to put the pressure back on the bowlers.
Meanwhile, Harleen brought up her second WPL fifty in the 16th over.
Just when the Giants looked in control, we succumbed to a huge blow as skipper Gardner fell to Shikha Pandey.
With 50 needed off 27 balls, Dottin walked in to bat. She quickly slammed two sixes and two fours to put the Giants in a great position.
However, Dottin and Phoebe Litchfield later departed in back-to-back deliveries in the 18th over.
Harleen and Kashvee Gautam forged an unbeaten 17-run partnership for the sixth wicket to guide us over the line.
With eyes on the WPL 2025 playoffs, the Giants will be aiming to continue the winning streak against Mumbai Indians in our final league match at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday, March 10.
Brief Scores: Gujarat Giants 178/5 in 19.3 overs (Harleen Deol 70 not out; Shikha Pandey 2/31) beat Delhi Capitals 177/5 in 20 overs (Meg Lanning 92; Meghna Singh 3/35) by five wickets.
