The Women’s Premier League witnessed an absolute nail-biter on Friday as the Gujarat Giants edged out the Delhi Capitals by 5 wickets in the 17th match of the tournament. The game was a see-saw battle, with both teams trading blows and the outcome hanging in the balance till the very end. One moment, it seemed like Delhi was cruising towards victory, and the next, Gujarat would gain the upper hand. The Giants’ batswoman Harleen Deol stole the show with a match-winning 70-run innings, while Deandra Dottin chipped in with a crucial cameo towards the end to make the target more manageable. This win propelled the Gujarat Giants to the second spot in the points table.
Chasing a target of 178 runs, the Gujarat Giants got off to a rocky start, losing their first wicket at a score of 4. Dayalan Hemalatha was dismissed by Shikha Pandey, but Harleen Deol and Beth Mooney then joined forces to forge a 77-run partnership. Minnu Mani broke the stand by sending back Mooney, who scored 44 runs.
Earlier, the Delhi Capitals, who were put in to bat after losing the toss, got off to a solid start courtesy of captain Meg Lanning and Shefali Verma. The duo stitched together an 83-run partnership for the first wicket before Shefali departed for 40, courtesy of a Meghna Singh delivery. Although wickets fell at regular intervals, Lanning continued to play a blistering innings. She scored 92 runs off 57 balls, smashing 15 fours and a six, but fell short of a century. Meghna Singh was the pick of the bowlers for the Gujarat Giants, claiming 3 wickets for 35 runs in her 4-over spell, while Deandra Dottin picked up 2 wickets for 37 runs in 4 overs.
The points table is now looking interesting, with the top teams jostling for position. Here’s a snapshot of the current standings:
Team Standings
The teams are closely bunched together, with the top teams separated by just a few points.
- Matches: 8, Wins: 5, Losses: 3, Points: 10, Net Run Rate: +0.396
- Matches: 7, Wins: 4, Losses: 3, Points: 8, Net Run Rate: +0.334
- Matches: 6, Wins: 4, Losses: 2, Points: 8, Net Run Rate: +0.267
- Matches: 6, Wins: 2, Losses: 4, Points: 4, Net Run Rate: -0.244
- Matches: 7, Wins: 2, Losses: 5, Points: 4, Net Run Rate: -0.785
As the tournament heats up, each match is becoming a must-win encounter, and the intensity is palpable. Will the Gujarat Giants continue their winning momentum, or will other teams start to catch up? Only time will tell.
