UP Warriorz Defeat Gujarat Giants To Qualify For WPL 2023 Playoffs

The UP Warriorz defeated Gujarat Giants in a thrilling contest on Monday, March 20 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai in the 2023 Women’s Premier League. They won the match by three wickets, to secure a place in the playoffs of the tournament. The Alyssa Healy-led team became the third team to qualify for the playoff round.

UP Warriorz were asked to bowl first by the Gujarat Giants skipper Sneh Rana. They managed to restrict the Giants to 178 runs in the first innings. Ashleigh Gardner slammed 60 runs off 39 deliveries, with six boundaries and three sixes. D Hemalatha also played a blinder, smashing six boundaries and three sixes to score 57 runs. Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Prashavi Chopra were the pick of the bowlers for them.

In response to Gujarat Giants’ total, UP Warriorz got off to a disastrous start. They lost three wickets for just 39 runs. However, a 78-run stand between Tahila McGrath and Grace Harris brought them back into the game. Tahila scored 57 runs off 38 deliveries, with eleven boundaries. After her dismissal, UP Warriorz tried to keep up with the required rate by kept losing wickets. Grace Harris was dismissed for a 41-ball 72 runs knock.

UP Warrioz had lost five wickets with 160 runs on the board in 18 overs. They needed 19 off the remaining two overs. Sophie Ecclestone’s boundary and a six in the penultimate over brought them closer to the target. Needing two runs off the last two deliveries, she slammed a four to seal the game for her since. Ecclestone stayed unbeaten on 19 runs off 13 deliveries.

It's @Sophecc19 once again with the winning runs! 🔥🔥@UPWarriorz clinch a 3️⃣-wicket win over #GG in a thriller of a chase 🙌🏻

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/FcApQh0hwi#TATAWPL | #GGvUPW pic.twitter.com/BpgEJDwNNU

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 20, 2023

Leave it to us for having an entertaining game: Alyssa Healy

UP Warriorz skipper Alyssa Healy was pleased with her team’s effort to secure a win in the thrilling match against Gujarat Giants. She credited the bowlers to restrict the Giants to a score below 180 runs. Speaking about their win, and about qualifying for the playoffs, Alyssa Healy said at the post-match presentation,

“Box ticked, leave it to us for having an entertaining game. Our batting unit held their nerves and pulled it off for us but credit to the bowlers as well. It looks that way, in some of the chase we lost a few early wickets, knowing the power we got in the middle we got the freedom up top but Grace, Tahlia, and Ecclestone are doing amazing things with the bat for us.  We will probably enjoy the night that we have qualified. That’s all what we needed and I am really proud of the group.”