In a gripping showdown, the Giants fought back by claiming the wickets of Healy, Chamari Athapaththu, and Shweta Sehrawat, sending the Warriorz reeling at 90/4 by the 11th over.
Grace Harris emerged as the driving force behind UP Warriorz’s commanding six-wicket triumph over Gujarat Giants in their Women’s Premier League clash held on Friday. Her powerful knock of 60 runs not out, off just 33 balls, embellished with nine boundaries and two sixes, alongside skipper Alyssa Healy’s quickfire 33 off 21 balls (comprising seven boundaries), propelled the Warriorz to successfully chase down the target of 143 in just 15.4 overs, securing their second victory in the tournament.
The Giants, restricted to a modest 142/5, felt the sting of left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone’s exceptional performance, who exploited the challenging pitch conditions to bag three crucial wickets for a mere 20 runs. Harris then put the finishing touches to seal the deal for the Warriorz.
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Harris, the petite Australian powerhouse, displayed her dominance by hammering pacer Meghana Singh for three consecutive fours in the third over, catapulting the Warriorz to 33 runs in just three overs, eventually swelling to 69/2 during the Powerplay phase.
Despite the Giants’ spirited effort to stage a comeback, Harris and Deepti Sharma (17 not out) joined forces to chase down the remaining 53 runs in a mere 30 balls, shutting out any hopes of a Giant resurgence.
Earlier in the game, the Giants started promisingly, reaching 41/1 during the Powerplay, but faltered thereafter. Although a resilient 52-run partnership between Phoebe Litchfield (scoring 35 runs) and Ashleigh Gardner (contributing 30 runs) bolstered their total, it ultimately fell short of the mark.
In summary, Gujarat Giants posted 142/5 in their allotted 20 overs, with Phoebe Litchfield top-scoring, while UP Warriorz chased down the target, reaching 143/4 in just 15.4 overs, with Grace Harris leading the charge.