The start of the second season of the Women’s Premier League hasn't gone according to plan for the Gujarat Giants, who have now suffered three consecutive defeats. The latest was a tough loss against the UP Warriorz. As a result, we find ourselves in a challenging position. However, despite the setbacks, we remain optimistic about our prospects in the tournament. Our next opportunity to turn things around comes when we face off against the Delhi Capitals on Sunday.
Having been put in to bat by the UP Warriorz, Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney provided us with a solid start, steadily accumulating runs. However, Mooney's dismissal came at the wrong moment, leading to a succession of wickets falling at regular intervals. Ash Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield stepped up to the plate, forging a fluent partnership that yielded 52 runs. Gardner, in particular, showcased her aggressive batting style. Despite their efforts, we faltered towards the end of the innings, ultimately setting a target of 142 runs, our highest score of the season thus far.
Our bowling innings didn't commence on the strongest note, as Alyssa Healy launched an assault, propelling UP Warriorz to 42 runs without loss. However, Tanuja Kanwer managed to make a breakthrough by dismissing Kiran Navgire. Subsequently, we began to make inroads into the opposition's batting lineup, instilling a glimmer of hope for a potential comeback. Yet, Grace Harris, who has historically performed well against us, remained composed and crafted yet another half-century, guiding UP Warriorz to victory alongside Deepti Sharma. Kanwer emerged as the standout performer with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets while conceding just 23 runs.
Although our recent defeats have been disheartening, we refuse to give up. Instead, we are determined to stage a comeback in our upcoming fixture against the Delhi Capitals. The key for us now is to string together victories and mount a significant resurgence in the tournament. With our sights set on Sunday's match, we remain hopeful of kickstarting our campaign with a positive result.