Either the Gujarat Giants lose four on a trot or the UP Warriorz complete three successive wins. One of these streaks will be updated later tonight, as Meg Lanning’s side looks to avenge their earlier-season loss to Ashleigh Gardner’s Giants.
UP Warriorz – A momentum to keep up with
The UP Warriorz began their campaign with three defeats in a row. However, they recovered in the last two matches by defeating the defending champions, the Mumbai Indians, twice in a week. As they bank on Meg Lanning and Phoebe Litchfield’s explosive, consistent top-order batting, the Warriorz still have tactical gaps to address. Lanning’s opening partner, Kiran Prabhu Navgire, has struggled for runs. Wicket-keeper Shweta Sehrawat has been dismissed for two golden ducks, and runs haven’t flown the way they should off Deepti Sharma’s bat. Even with the ball, Deepti has managed only four wickets in the five matches she has played this season.
The Warriorz management has juggled Chloe Tryon, Deandra Dottin, and Sophie Ecclestone as the third and fourth overseas players, but none have had the match experience in this edition of the WPL just yet. Moreover, the slow wicket at Kotambi Stadium makes the selection even more puzzling for the Warriorz.
The fact that Shikha Pandey currently finds herself at No.12 on the purple cap leaderboard speaks enough about UP’s struggles with the ball. To ensure that the Warriorz continue their win streak, it becomes paramount for Kranti Guad and Asha Shobhana to step up in this all-important fixture.
It has been 692 days since the UP Warriorz last defeated the Gujarat Giants. #WPL #GGvUPW
— Dr Balraj | બલરાજ (@balrajshukla) January 22, 2026
Gujarat Giants – A chance to claw back in?
Gujarat Giants have a favorable 4-3 win-loss record against the UP Warriorz. They have a strong batting order comprising Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner, and Georgia Wareham. And if these five weren’t enough, Bharti Fulmali’s explosive batting with the tail makes the Giants a formidable batting side. However, the previous match saw the Royal Challengers Bangalore dismantle this batting line-up, making them the first team to qualify for the playoffs.
Notable matchups today include Renuka Singh against Meg Lanning. The Indian has gotten the better of the Aussie legend only once, but has also kept her in check as Lanning has managed to score at a run-a-ball’s pace against Renuka. In another matchup between two experienced campaigners, Deepti Sharma has struggled against Beth Mooney. The Giants’ keeper has managed 74 runs in 53 against the Indian all-rounder and has never been dismissed. Sophie Devine, too, has been comfortable against Deepti, scoring at a strike rate of 220 against the off-break bowler.
Devine is currently tied with Litchfield in the most sixes hit in the contest thus far. The duo’s total of 10 sixes is only two more than the next best, Bharti Fulamli. Today’s contest will also feature four of the top five women with the best strike rate in the WPL: Devine, Tryon, Fulmali, and Litchfield.
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Giants do have an edge on the venue as they do have experience in matches to understand the pitch’s behavior in Vadodara. It will be the first match for the Warriorz in Kotambi this season. Previously, they have played twice before on this ground but never won. Gujarat also has additional moral support as the home side.
Having said that, Gujarat themselves have a dubious win-loss record of 1-3 at Vadodara. The solitary win was recorded against the UP Warriorz in the last season. Harleen Deol and Deandra Dottin, who now play for UP, were instrumental in Gujarat’s win last season, as their 58-run unbeaten stand in37 balls helped them chase down 144 with two overs to spare.
Vadodara’s slow surface has already toned down the heavy flow of runs viewers had grown accustomed to in Navi Mumbai. The team bowling first has won 88% of the matches here in the WPL, and the average first innings total is only 158. The winning side today will move to second place on the points table.
The UP Warriorz haven’t defeated a team outside Mumbai this season, and the Gujarat Giants enter this fixture as being the favorites on paper, but with low morale. It will be interesting to see if Lanning’s bowlers can strike when the iron is hot.
Gujarat Giants Probable XI
Beth Mooney (wk), Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Bharti Fulmali, Tanuja Kanwar, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kashvee Gautam, Happy Kumari/Jintimani Kalita
UP Warriorz Probable XI
Kiran Prabhu Navgire, Meg Lanning (c), Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Shweta Sehrawat (wk), Chloe Tryon, Deepti Sharma, Deandra Dottin/Sophie Ecclestone, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud, Asha Shobhana
