The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 race to the playoffs heats up with Match 14 featuring Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara.
Scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026, with a 7:30 PM IST start, this encounter comes at a critical juncture of the league phase, with both sides desperate for momentum in an increasingly congested points table.
Gujarat Giants, led by captain Ashleigh Gardner, have endured an inconsistent campaign so far. With two wins and three losses from their opening five matches, they currently find themselves at the bottom of the table, weighed down by the lowest net run rate in the competition. Their season began on a positive note with back-to-back victories against Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz, but the momentum quickly slipped away as they suffered three consecutive defeats. Heavy losses to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have already qualified for the playoffs with a perfect record of five wins from five matches, have exposed Gujarat’s vulnerabilities, particularly in their batting depth under pressure.
UP Warriorz, captained by Meg Lanning, have had a contrasting journey. After losing their first three matches of the season, the Warriorz have staged an impressive recovery with two crucial wins in their last two outings. Those back-to-back victories came against Mumbai Indians in their fourth and fifth league matches, lifting them into the middle of the table with a healthier net run rate compared to Gujarat. This resurgence has not only revived their playoff hopes but also restored confidence within the squad.
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This Match 14 clash presents UP Warriorz with an opportunity to register a third consecutive win and firmly insert themselves into the playoff conversation. For Gujarat Giants, the stakes are even higher. Coming into the game on the back of three straight losses, they will be desperate to arrest the slide and keep their qualification hopes alive in what has become a tightly contested league.
Form Guide – WPL 2026
Gujarat Giants Recent Form (Last 5 Matches, Most Recent First):
W (beat UPW by 10 runs on Jan 10)
W (beat DC on Jan 11)
L (lost to MI on Jan 13)
L (lost by 32 runs to RCB on Jan 16)
L (lost by 61 runs to RCB on Jan 19)
Gujarat Giants started strongly but have faltered in their last three outings. Batting collapses and an inability to contain opposition run flows, especially against top sides like RCB, have proved costly.
UP Warriorz Recent Form (Last 5 Matches, Most Recent First):
L (lost by 10 runs to GG on Jan 10)
L (lost to RCB on Jan 12)
L (lost to DC on Jan 14)
W (beat MI by 7 wickets on Jan 15)
W (beat MI by 22 runs on Jan 17)
UP Warriorz snapped a three-game losing streak with impressive back-to-back wins over Mumbai Indians, powered by key batting contributions from Harleen Deol and Meg Lanning.
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The BCA Stadium pitch in Vadodara is generally flat and conducive to high scoring, offering true bounce that allows batters to play through the line with confidence. Power hitters such as Sophie Devine for Gujarat Giants and young Australian sensation Phoebe Litchfield for UP Warriorz could thrive on this surface. Evening dew has often played a significant role here, assisting the chasing side by making it difficult for bowlers particularly spinners to grip the ball. As a result, teams winning the toss are likely to opt for bowling first to take advantage of the conditions later in the match.
GG vs UPW Head-to-Head Record
In six previous WPL encounters, both Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz have secured three wins each, highlighting how evenly matched these sides have been historically. Many of these contests have gone down to the wire, with momentum swinging late in games. This will be the first WPL meeting between the two teams at the BCA Stadium, adding an extra layer of intrigue and a sense of a new rivalry at this venue.
The venue has hosted eight WPL games so far, with a pronounced chasing bias. Seven of those matches have been won by the team batting second, underlining the importance of decision-making at the toss.
Predicted Playing XIs
Gujarat Giants Predicted Playing XI:
Beth Mooney (wk), Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Bharti Fulmali, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwar, Renuka Singh Thakur, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
UP Warriorz Predicted Playing XI:
Meg Lanning (c), Kiran Navgire, Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Shweta Sehrawat (wk), Deepti Sharma, Chloe Tryon, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud
As the WPL 2026 race to the playoffs tightens, four teams are currently deadlocked on four points from five matches each. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru already qualified, only two playoff spots remain up for grabs, and even the barest of margins could prove decisive.
Live coverage will be available on Star Sports networks and JioHotstar streaming services. With form, pressure, and playoff implications converging, Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz promises to be a pivotal contest as WPL 2026 intensifies.
