The stage is set for a classic David vs. Goliath showdown as Gujarat Giants (GG) prepare to take on the formidable Mumbai Indians (MI) in the WPL Eliminator on Thursday at the Brabourne Stadium. History, statistics, and momentum all seem to favor MI, who have consistently been one of the strongest teams in the Women’s Premier League.
Mumbai Indians have reached the knockout stages in all three seasons of the WPL so far, finishing second in the points table each time behind Delhi Capitals. This marks their third consecutive appearance in the Eliminator, while Gujarat Giants are making their first-ever trip to the playoffs. MI’s journey has been impressive, with a title win in the inaugural season and a narrow defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru last year. This time, they face a resurgent GG side that seems to be peaking at the right moment.
Interestingly, all three playoff teams secured their spots early, with each losing their final league game. For GG, that loss came against MI just two nights ago at the same venue. Gujarat will be eager to avenge that defeat and advance to their first-ever final, where Delhi Capitals await. GG had earlier defeated DC convincingly in their last league game, showcasing their potential.
Gujarat’s opening combination has been a revolving door this season, with pace-bowling all-rounder Kashvee Gautam being the latest to partner Beth Mooney at the top. Despite the instability, Mooney (231 runs) has been a key contributor alongside captain Ashleigh Gardner (235 runs) and Harleen Deol (224 runs). Deol’s match-winning 70* against DC didn’t earn her a promotion in the batting order, but GG will likely stick to a more conventional approach in this high-stakes clash.
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, have made fewer changes but did tweak their opening pair by demoting Yastika Bhatia after a lean patch. Amelia Kerr was promoted to open, but the move hasn’t yielded results in the two games since. MI’s batting heavily relies on Orange Cap holder Nat Sciver-Brunt (416 runs) and their inspirational skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (200 runs), despite the significant gap in their run tallies.
On the bowling front, MI might hold a slight edge, especially at the Brabourne Stadium, where spinners have dominated, claiming 17 wickets in two games compared to just 8 by pacers. Hayley Matthews and Amelia Kerr, with 14 wickets each, have been standout performers for MI, filling the void left by the absence of Pooja Vastrakar this season. For GG, Kashvee Gautam (10 wickets) and Deandra Dottin (9 wickets) have led the charge, with Gardner (8 wickets) also contributing significantly.
The head-to-head record between these two teams is heavily skewed in MI’s favor, with six wins in as many encounters. These include dominant victories like the first-ever WPL game at DY Patil Stadium and a thrilling chase in Delhi last year, where Harmanpreet Kaur orchestrated a miraculous win, scoring 72 runs in the last five overs. Gujarat Giants will step onto the field on Thursday knowing there’s no better time to rewrite history.
When:Â Thursday, March 13 at 7:30 PM IST
Where:Â Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
What to Expect:Â The pitch at Brabourne has favored high-scoring games, as seen in the two league matches played here recently. Captains have preferred chasing, though neither succeeded in their attempts during the league stage.
Team News:
Mumbai Indians:Â Despite their recent loss to RCB, MI are likely to field the same XI for the Eliminator.
Probable XI:Â Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Amanjot Kaur, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Sajeevan Sajana, G Kamalini, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Parunika Sisodia
Gujarat Giants:Â GG have finally settled on a balanced XI and are expected to stick with the same lineup unless injuries force changes.
Probable XI:Â Beth Mooney (wk), Kashvee Gautam, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner (C), Phoebe Litchfield, Deandra Dottin, Bharti Fulmali, Simran Shaikh, Tanuja Kanwar, Meghna Singh, Priya Mishra
Key Stats:
- MI’s spin duo of Amelia Kerr (13 wickets) and Hayley Matthews (11 wickets) have been particularly effective against GG, accounting for 47% of MI’s wickets in their six encounters.
- Harmanpreet Kaur has dominated GG, averaging 78.75 with 315 runs, including four half-centuries, in six games. She also averages 44.6 against Ash Gardner, scoring 223 runs at a strike rate of 163.97.
- Nat Sciver-Brunt (458 runs) and Harmanpreet Kaur (406 runs) are the leading run-scorers at the Brabourne Stadium, followed closely by GG captain Ashleigh Gardner (387 runs).
Gujarat Giants will need to overcome history and odds to topple the mighty Mumbai Indians and keep their title hopes alive.
