WPL 2023, GGT vs UPW: Harleen, Hemalatha power help Gujarat set 170-run target for UP

WPL
2023:
Gujarat
Giants
collapse
after
flying
start

After
opting
to
bat
first,
Gujarat
openers
Sabbhineni
Meghana
and
Sophia
Dunkley
gave
a
flying
start
to
their
team,
accumulating
34
runs
off
just
22
balls.
However,
Deepti
Sharma
–
UP
warriorz’s
costliest
buy
put
break
by
getting
rid
of
Dunkley
(13).
Sophie
Ecclestone
then
struck
in
the
fifth
over
to
get
rid
of
Meghana
(24
off
15).
The
number
one
ranked
T20I
bowler
in
the
world
then
struck
in
the
eighth
over
to
get
rid
of
Annabel
Sutherland
(8).
The
fourth
wicket
came
in
the
form
of
Sushma
Verma
(9)
who
was
dismissed
by
Australia
star
Tahila
McGrath.

WPL
2023:
Harleen,
Gardner,
Hemalatha
deliver
under
pressure

Reeling
on
76/4
in
10.3
overs,
Gujarat
Giants
were
in
dire
need
of
a
partnership
and
Deol
just
did
that
alongside
Ashleigh
Gardner
–
the
Player
of
the
Series
in
the
recently-concluded
Women’s
T20
World
Cup
2023.
The
duo
added
44
runs
off
just
29
balls.
Gardner
scored
25
off
19
before
being
stumped
by
her
compatriot
Alyssa
Healy
in
a
dramatic
fashion.
A
Deepti
Sharma
delivery
ricocheted
off
Healy’s
pad
to
hit
the
stumps
as
Gardner
was
found
outside
the
crease.

Once
the
Australia
all-rounder
departed,
Deol
got
in
the
groove
and
started
playing
her
shot
before
left-arm
pacer
Anjali
Sarvani
got
her
wicket
in
the
18th
over.
Later,
Dayalan
Hemalatha
played
a
13-ball
21-run
cameo
to
power
Gujarat
to
169/6
in
20
overs.
She
was
supported
by
her
captain
Sneh
Rana
who
scored
unbeaten
nine
runs
off
seven
balls,
and
some
sloppy
fielding
by
the
UP
fielders.

Up
Warriorz
would
be
counting
on
the
likes
of
Healy,
McGrath,
Deepti
and
Shweta
Sehrawat
to
chase
down
the
competitive
total.
No
team
has
won
while
batting
second
in
the
tournament
so
far.