UPWW vs GGW Match Preview
The Warriorz didn’t have the best of times at the auctions and the team prepared by them seems to be a bit lacking when compared to other franchises.
The batting department looks especially lacking as Australian wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy and all-rounder Tahlia McGrath are the only big names here. Healy is the top-ranked batter in WODIs, while McGrath holds the top spot in WT20s. However, the duo is the only recognized big hitter in the squad. There are no quality batters especially at the top of the order, who can give them a good start.
They will have to depend on the likes of Kiran Navgire and Simran Shaikh, both of whom are yet to prove themselves on the big stage. The only quality Indian player here is Deepti Sharma, who can play the role of a finisher and can also pick some quick wickets during the middle overs.
Sophie Ecclestone, who is the number 1 spinner in WT20s according to the latest ICC rankings, is one of the biggest buys for the Warriorz this season.
Opting to bowl first, the Giants were put under the pump right from the word go by a strong Mumbai batting line-up. Despite having some excellent bowlers in the team, including Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham, and Annabel Sutherland, the Giants’ bowlers were hit all around the park as Mumbai posted a mammoth total of 207-5.
The chase began on a sour note for the Gujarat Giants as captain and the team’s most reliable batter, Beth Mooney had to retire hurt in the very first over as she appeared to twist her leg. Things went rapidly downhill thereafter as they lost wickets at a rapid pace.
D Hemalatha and Monica Patel were the only two batters who managed to reach double figures and as wickets continued to tumble around them, the whole team was back in the dressing room in the 16th over, with just 64 runs on the board.
The Giants have some excellent batters in the middle order, including Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, and Annabel Sutherland, and they will need to play an important role in this game.
Weather Report
The weather is expected to remain clear with temperatures ranging from 30-33 degrees Celsius.
Pitch Report
The DY Patil Sports Academy has a flat pitch and is a batting paradise. The bounce is consistent throughout the match, making it easy for the batters to play some big shots. The outfield too is quite fast and we should see plenty of boundaries. While the quicker bowlers have traditionally struggled here, the spin bowlers can extract some spin by hitting the footmarks.
Notable stats
Ashleigh Gardner’s All-Round Performance
Ashleigh Gardner is now of the most consistent all-rounders in the T20 format. In 73 matches, she has scored 1176 runs at a strike rate of 132.43 and has also picked up 53 wickets.
Team News
Except for Beth Mooney from the Gujarat Giants, there are no injured players from either side.
UPWW vs GGW Probable 11
UPWW Playing 11
- Alyssa Healy (C)
- Shweta Sehrawat
- Deepti Sharma
- Tahlia McGrath
- Kiran Navgire
- Devika Vaidya
- Sophie Ecclestone
- Shabnim Ismail
- Rajeswari Gayakwad
- Parshavi Chopra
- Anjali Sarvani
GGW Playing 11
- Sneh Rana (C)
- Sushma Verma (Wk)
- S Meghana
- Harleen Deol
- Ashleigh Gardner
- Annabel Sutherland
- D Hemalatha
- Georgia Wareham
- Tanuja Kanwar
- Monica Patel
- Mansi Joshi
Dream11 Prediction
We are backing the Gujarat Giants to win this contest. They have a well-balanced side when compared to the Warriorz and have plenty of depth in their batting, giving them a slight edge over the opposition. The Warriorz lack quality Indian players and that could well be the differentiating factor here.
Top Picks
Tahlia McGrath: Tahlia McGrath is the number one batter in the WT20s according to the latest ICC rankings. Last year, in her 16 T20 appearances, she scored 435 runs at an incredible average of 62.14 and a strike rate of 145.00.
Annabel Sutherland: Annabel Sutherland is a promising all-rounder from Australia. While she hasn’t played much at the international level, she has a solid record in WBBL, where she has scored 899 runs and picked up 59 wickets.
Deepti Sharma: Deepti Sharma is one of the most reliable all-rounders for India in the last few years. She has scored 941 runs in 92 T20 matches and has also picked up 102 wickets.
UPWW vs GGW Dream11 Team 1
Keeper: A Healy
Batters: T McGrath (C), D Hemalatha, H Deol
All-rounders: S Ecclestone, D Sharma (VC), A Sutherland, S Rana
Bowlers: S Ismail, R Gayakwad, G Wareham
