It was far from a joyful homecoming for UP Warriorz, who suffered a heavy defeat against Gujarat Giants at the Ekana Stadium, slipping from third to the bottom of the points table. In the first-ever WPL match in Lucknow, Beth Mooney delivered a batting masterclass, guiding the Giants to 186 for 5—the third-highest total of the season. She showcased exactly why she is the No. 1-ranked T20I batter in the ICC rankings, propelling her team from fifth to second place.
Chasing the target, Warriorz crumbled, succumbing to a massive 81-run defeat. They lost two wickets in the opening over, four inside the powerplay, and were reeling at 48 for 6—only one batter in the top six managed double digits—before Chinelle Henry’s quickfire 28 off 14 balls helped them breach the 100-run mark. However, they were eventually dismissed for 105, making Giants only the second team to successfully defend a total this season, the first ironically being Warriorz themselves.
Mooney anchored the innings with an unbeaten 96 off 59 balls, featuring a 101-run second-wicket stand with Harleen Deol. Her knock included 17 fours—the second-most in a single WPL innings.
The dominant victory significantly boosted the Giants’ net run rate from -0.450 to 0.357, placing them just behind table-toppers Delhi Capitals. With six points, they are now level with Mumbai Indians, who have a net run rate of 0.166.
Mooney’s Masterclass: A Knock to Remember
Beth Mooney turned her season around with a breathtaking innings, proving why she remains a key figure for Gujarat Giants. Coming into the match with just 84 runs from five innings at a modest average of 16.80, she seemed out of form. However, with no backup wicketkeeper in the squad, the Giants persisted with her—and she repaid their faith in style.
Mooney started cautiously, reaching 23 off 21 balls by the end of the powerplay, aided by a couple of boundaries off Deepti Sharma. But once the fielding restrictions were lifted, she took complete control. Using her feet expertly against spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti, while also capitalizing on the pace of Chinelle Henry and Kranti Goud, she dictated terms. Whenever UP Warriorz kept mid-off and mid-on inside the circle, she exploited the gaps down the ground, accumulating 49 runs in the arc between long-on and long-off.
A maiden WPL century seemed within reach, but she faced just five deliveries in the final four overs, eventually finishing unbeaten on 96. Her dominant stroke play in the middle overs propelled the Giants to 104 runs between the seventh and 16th over—only the fourth time they have crossed the 100-run mark in that phase of a WPL innings.
Deol Anchors, Dottin Delights in Giants’ Commanding Display
UP Warriorz followed the WPL 2025 trend by opting to bowl on a mixed-soil surface with a grassy covering at the Ekana Stadium. The decision paid off immediately as Chinelle Henry’s outswing dismissed the struggling Dayalan Hemalatha for 2 in the opening over—her fourth single-digit score in five innings this season.
Coming in at No. 3, Harleen Deol injected momentum into the Giants’ innings. She kickstarted her knock with an aerial sweep off Grace Harris over square leg and showcased impressive footwork against the pacers. Deol drove Henry through wide mid-off in the third over and replicated the shot against Kranti Goud after the powerplay. Benefiting from what Phoebe Litchfield later called the “best batting conditions,” Deol carved out a fluent 32-ball 45. Her innings ended when she missed a swipe against Sophie Ecclestone, breaking a crucial century partnership with Beth Mooney.
Following a solid 44-run stand between Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner, Deandra Dottin provided late fireworks. She found the boundary off Goud in the 17th over before dispatching Ecclestone for a six and four in the next. However, her entertaining eight-ball 17 ended with an ill-judged reverse sweep, trapped lbw by Ecclestone. Despite Warriorz conceding only 16 runs in the final two overs, the damage had already been done.
Warriorz Crumble as Batting Woes Deepen
UP Warriorz’s batting struggles continued as they fielded a depleted lineup, hastily handing Georgia Voll her debut after failing to utilize Chamari Athapaththu before her departure for national duty. Despite Voll’s success as an opener in the WBBL, Warriorz stuck with Kiran Navgire and Grace Harris at the top, slotting Voll at No. 3.
The chase unraveled almost immediately. Navgire’s tentative poke at Deandra Dottin’s outswinger saw her caught brilliantly by Phoebe Litchfield at slip for a golden duck. Three balls later, Voll’s loose drive away from the body resulted in her stumps being rattled. With just five deliveries bowled, Warriorz were already in deep trouble, as Dottin set the tone for Giants’ dominance.
At the other end, Kashvee Gautam exploited the swinging conditions, trapping Vrinda Dinesh, who misjudged a scoop attempt. Deepti Sharma, convinced the target was within reach, fell cheaply to Meghna Singh, edging behind. Harris found herself losing partners rapidly before being undone by a scoop attempt off Tanuja Kanwar, leaving Warriorz reeling at 48 for 6 by the halfway mark.
Chinelle Henry provided brief resistance with some powerful hits, becoming one of only four Warriorz batters to reach double figures. However, it was merely a flicker before the inevitable collapse, as their innings fizzled out in a disappointing defeat.
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