The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 kicked off with a thrilling encounter between the Gujarat Giants (Wpl) vs Royal Challengers Cricket Match Scorecard on February 14, 2025, at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. This match, the first of the WPL 2025 season, set the tone for an exciting tournament with a high-scoring run chase that kept fans on the edge of their seats. In this article, we’ll dive into the detailed scorecard of this electrifying match, break down the key performances, and analyze what made this game a historic one in the WPL. Whether you’re a cricket enthusiast or a casual fan, this breakdown is designed to be easy to read and understand for all ages.
Match Overview
The Gujarat Giants, led by Ashleigh Gardner, faced off against the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, captained by Smriti Mandhana. RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that set the stage for a high-octane clash. The Giants posted a formidable total of 201/5 in their 20 overs, thanks to stellar performances from Gardner and Beth Mooney. However, RCB responded with a record-breaking chase, reaching 202/4 in just 18.3 overs, powered by Richa Ghosh and Ellyse Perry. This match marked the highest successful run chase in WPL history, making it a memorable start to the 2025 season.
Gujarat Giants Women Innings: A Power-Packed Performance
The Gujarat Giants got off to a steady start after being asked to bat. Their innings was a blend of cautious play and explosive hitting, culminating in a total that seemed challenging on paper. Let’s break down their batting performance:
Key Batting Contributions
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Ashleigh Gardner (79 off 37 balls)*: The Gujarat Giants’ captain led from the front with an unbeaten 79, smashing 3 fours and 8 sixes. Her aggressive stroke play, especially in the latter half of the innings, was a spectacle. Gardner’s knock included a record-equalling number of sixes in a WPL innings, showcasing her dominance.
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Beth Mooney (56 off 42 balls): The wicketkeeper-batter provided stability with a well-constructed 56, hitting 8 fours. Mooney’s innings laid a solid foundation, allowing the middle order to accelerate.
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Deandra Dottin (25 off 13 balls): Dottin’s quickfire cameo, with 3 fours and a six, boosted the Giants’ total significantly in the death overs.
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Harleen Deol (9 off 4 balls)*: Deol’s late flourish, including two boundaries, helped the Giants cross the 200-run mark.
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Laura Wolvaardt (6 off 10 balls) and Dayalan Hemalatha (4 off 9 balls): The openers struggled to get going, with Wolvaardt falling early to Renuka Singh and Hemalatha dismissed shortly after the powerplay.
Fall of Wickets
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35/1 (Laura Wolvaardt, 4.3 overs)
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41/2 (Dayalan Hemalatha, 6.4 overs)
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85/3 (Beth Mooney, 11.4 overs)
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152/4 (Deandra Dottin, 16.5 overs)
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182/5 (Simran Shaikh, 18.3 overs)
The Giants reached 201/5 in 20 overs, with a run rate of 10.05. Their innings featured 11 extras (1 bye, 3 leg byes, 7 wides), which added to their total.
RCB’s Bowling Effort
RCB’s bowlers had a mixed day. While they managed to pick up wickets at regular intervals, they struggled to contain the Giants’ aggressive batting, especially in the final overs. Key bowling performances included:
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Renuka Singh Thakur (2/25 in 4 overs): Renuka was the pick of the bowlers, dismissing Wolvaardt and Dottin with disciplined bowling.
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Kanika Ahuja (1/19 in 3 overs): Ahuja chipped in with the wicket of Hemalatha, bowling economically.
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Prema Rawat (1/unknown overs): The debutant dismissed Mooney, a crucial breakthrough.
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Georgia Wareham (1/unknown overs): Wareham accounted for Simran Shaikh, but her spell was expensive.
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Kim Garth, Joshitha V J: Both bowlers went wicketless and were costly, struggling against Gardner’s onslaught.
The Giants’ innings was a tale of two halves: a steady start followed by an explosive finish, with Gardner and Dottin turning the tide in the death overs.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Innings: A Historic Chase
Chasing a daunting 202, RCB needed a strong start, but their innings got off to a rocky beginning. Gujarat Giants’ captain Ashleigh Gardner struck early, removing both openers in the second over. However, a stunning fightback led by Richa Ghosh and Ellyse Perry, supported by Kanika Ahuja, turned the game in RCB’s favor.
Key Batting Contributions
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Richa Ghosh (64 off 27 balls)*: The Player of the Match, Ghosh, played a sensational knock, scoring 64 not out with 4 fours and 4 sixes. Her 23-ball fifty was one of the fastest in WPL history, and her partnership with Ahuja was the game-changer.
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Ellyse Perry (57 off 34 balls): Perry anchored the chase with a composed 57, hitting several boundaries. Despite being dropped twice, she capitalized on the chances and kept RCB in the hunt.
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Kanika Ahuja (30 off 13 balls)*: Ahuja’s unbeaten 30, including a flurry of boundaries, complemented Ghosh perfectly in their unbroken 93-run partnership off just 37 balls.
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Raghvi Bist (21 off unknown balls): Bist played a supporting role, adding valuable runs in a 50-run partnership with Perry.
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Smriti Mandhana (13 off unknown balls) and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (4 off unknown balls): The openers fell early to Gardner’s spin, putting RCB under pressure.
Fall of Wickets
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13/1 (Smriti Mandhana, 1.2 overs)
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14/2 (Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, 2 overs)
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100/3 (Raghvi Bist, 11 overs)
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109/4 (Ellyse Perry, 12.2 overs)
RCB finished at 202/4 in 18.3 overs, achieving a run rate of 10.92. The chase was completed with 9 balls to spare, marking the highest successful chase in WPL history.
Gujarat Giants’ Bowling Effort
The Giants’ bowlers started strongly but faltered under pressure, especially due to dropped catches and poor fielding. Key bowling performances included:
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Ashleigh Gardner (2/33 in 3 overs): Gardner was the standout bowler, dismissing Mandhana and Wyatt-Hodge in quick succession.
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Sayali Satghare (1/44 in 4 overs): Satghare dismissed Perry but was expensive.
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Deandra Dottin (1/41 in 3.3 overs): Dottin took a wicket but couldn’t stop the flow of runs, conceding a six to Ghosh to end the match.
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Tanuja Kanwar, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam: These bowlers struggled to contain RCB’s aggressive batting, with Mishra conceding 23 runs in a single over to Ghosh.
The Giants’ fielding let them down, with dropped catches of Perry and Ghosh proving costly. Despite posting a strong total, their bowling and fielding lapses allowed RCB to seize the momentum.
Full Gujarat Giants (Wpl) vs Royal Challengers Cricket Match Scorecard Table
Below is the detailed Gujarat Giants (Wpl) vs Royal Challengers Cricket Match Scorecard on February 14, 2025:
|
Team |
Innings |
Batter |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
Dismissal |
Bowler |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gujarat Giants Women |
1st Innings |
Laura Wolvaardt |
6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 60.00 |
Bowled |
Renuka Singh |
|
Beth Mooney (wk) |
56 | 42 | 8 | 0 | 133.33 |
Caught |
Prema Rawat |
||
|
Dayalan Hemalatha |
4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 |
Caught |
Kanika Ahuja |
||
|
Ashleigh Gardner (c) |
79* | 37 | 3 | 8 | 213.51 |
Not Out |
– | ||
|
Deandra Dottin |
25 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 192.31 |
Caught |
Renuka Singh |
||
|
Simran Shaikh |
11 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 220.00 |
Bowled |
Georgia Wareham |
||
|
Harleen Deol |
9* | 4 | 2 | 0 | 225.00 |
Not Out |
– | ||
|
Extras |
11 (b 1, lb 3, w 7) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | ||
|
Total |
201/5 (20 overs) |
– | – | – |
RR: 10.05 |
– | – | ||
|
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women |
2nd Innings |
Smriti Mandhana (c) |
13 | – | – | – | – |
LBW |
Ashleigh Gardner |
|
Danielle Wyatt-Hodge |
4 | – | – | – | – |
Caught |
Ashleigh Gardner |
||
|
Ellyse Perry |
57 | 34 | – | – | – |
Caught |
Sayali Satghare |
||
|
Raghvi Bist |
21 | – | – | – | – |
Caught |
– | ||
|
Richa Ghosh (wk) |
64* | 27 | 4 | 4 | – |
Not Out |
– | ||
|
Kanika Ahuja |
30* | 13 | – | – | – |
Not Out |
– | ||
|
Extras |
10 (unknown breakdown) |
– | – | – | – | – | – | ||
|
Total |
202/4 (18.3 overs) |
– | – | – |
RR: 10.92 |
– | – |
|
Bowling (GG-W) |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ashleigh Gardner |
3 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 11.00 |
|
Sayali Satghare |
4 | 0 | 44 | 1 | 11.00 |
|
Deandra Dottin |
3.3 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 12.42 |
|
Tanuja Kanwar |
– | – | – | 0 | – |
|
Priya Mishra |
– | – | – | 0 | – |
|
Kashvee Gautam |
– | – | – | 0 | – |
|
Bowling (RCB-W) |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Renuka Singh Thakur |
4 | 0 | 25 | 2 | 6.25 |
|
Kanika Ahuja |
3 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 6.33 |
|
Prema Rawat |
– | – | – | 1 | – |
|
Georgia Wareham |
– | – | – | 1 | – |
|
Kim Garth |
– | – | – | 0 | – |
|
Joshitha V J |
– | – | – | 0 | – |
Note: Some bowling figures are incomplete due to limited data availability.
Key Moments and Turning Points
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Gardner’s Explosive Knock: Ashleigh Gardner’s 79* off 37 balls, with 8 sixes, set a high benchmark for the Giants. Her ability to clear the ropes repeatedly put RCB’s bowlers under pressure.
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Early Blows by Gardner: Gardner’s double strike in the second over, dismissing Mandhana and Wyatt-Hodge, gave the Giants hope of defending their total.
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Dropped Catches: The Giants’ fielding errors, including dropped catches of Perry (on 2 and 18) and Ghosh (on 0), proved costly. These lapses allowed RCB to stay in the chase.
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Ghosh-Perry Partnership: The 93-run unbroken stand between Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja for the fifth wicket was the defining moment. Ghosh’s aggressive 64* and Ahuja’s 30* sealed the chase with ease.
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Historic Chase: RCB’s successful chase of 202 in 18.3 overs marked the highest run chase in WPL history, surpassing previous records.
Player of the Match: Richa Ghosh
Richa Ghosh earned the Player of the Match award for her match-winning 64* off 27 balls. Her quickfire fifty, combined with her composure under pressure, turned the game in RCB’s favor. Ghosh’s ability to dominate the Giants’ bowlers, especially in the 16th over where she smashed 23 runs off Gardner, was pivotal.
Post-Match Reflections
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Smriti Mandhana (RCB Captain): Mandhana praised the batting heroics of Ghosh and Perry, noting their net practice had translated into match performance. She acknowledged areas for improvement in bowling and fielding but was delighted with the win.
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Ashleigh Gardner (GG Captain): Gardner described the loss as “flattening,” citing dropped catches and dew as challenges. Despite her all-round brilliance, she admitted the Giants lacked ideas to counter RCB’s aggressive chase.
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Richa Ghosh: Ghosh emphasized playing her natural game and taking the chase deep. Her partnership with Ahuja was built on a positive mindset, which paid off.
Why This Match Matters
This match was more than just a season opener; it was a statement of intent from RCB, the defending champions. Their ability to chase down a 200-plus total despite early setbacks showcased their depth and resilience. For the Giants, the loss highlighted their recurring issue of failing to close out games, a theme from their bottom-placed finishes in 2023 and 2024. The match also underlined the importance of fielding in T20 cricket, with Gujarat’s dropped catches proving decisive.
The Bigger Picture: WPL 2025 Context
The WPL 2025 season is shaping up to be a thrilling one, with teams like RCB leveraging their domestic and international talent to dominate. For Gujarat Giants, this loss was a reminder of the need to improve their fielding and bowling strategies. The tournament’s third edition promises more high-scoring encounters, with emerging stars like Ghosh and established players like Gardner leading the charge.
Conclusion
The Gujarat Giants (Wpl) vs Royal Challengers Cricket Match Scorecard on February 14, 2025, was a blockbuster start to WPL 2025. With Gujarat posting a formidable 201/5 and RCB chasing it down with 9 balls to spare, the game was a testament to the excitement and unpredictability of T20 cricket. Richa Ghosh’s heroics, supported by Ellyse Perry and Kanika Ahuja, stole the show, while Ashleigh Gardner’s all-round brilliance kept the Giants competitive. This match will be remembered as a historic chase and a showcase of women’s cricket at its finest.
