WPL 2025: Ashleigh Gardner Fifty Seals Gujarat Giants’ Dominant Win Over Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Ashleigh Gardner led from the entrance with a blazing 58 off 31 balls as bottom-placed Gujarat Giants snapped their shedding streak with a dominant six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru within the WPL in Bengaluru on Thursday. Opting to bowl, GG placed on a disciplined bowling show, with Deandra Dottin (2/31) and Tanuja Kanwar (2/16) limiting RCB to a below-par 125/7. The offspin allrounder Gardner additionally chipped in with 1/22 in a tidy spell. GG took simply 16.3 overs to seal victory, with Gardner smashing three sixes and 6 fours in her third fifty of the event.

She raced to her half-century in simply 28 balls, bringing it up in model with back-to-back sixes-a slog-sweep over long-on adopted by a strong hit over deep midwicket.

GG’s prime order faltered, with Beth Mooney (17), Dayalan Hemalatha (11), and Harleen Deol (5) falling cheaply, however Gardner took cost.

She broke free in Prema Rawat’s over, plundering 19 runs — pulling one to effective leg, driving one other by cowl, and ending with a six over deep sq. leg.

There was no stopping GG from there as they cruised to their second win of the season, their final coming in opposition to UP Warriorz in Vadodara.

Desperate for a win, the bottom-placed Giants who’ve only one victory, delivered with the ball, with tempo spearhead Deandra (2/31) and left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar (2/16) giving excellent efficiency.

Gardner (1/22) and Kashvee Gautam (1/17) offered strong assist.

Opting to bowl, GG struck early, lowering RCB to 25/3 contained in the powerplay.

Smriti Mandhana (10 off 20), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (4 off 4), and in-form Ellyse Perry (0 off 4) fell cheaply. Perry had scored three fifties in her final 4 innings, together with two 80-plus knocks.

Kanika Ahuja (33 off 28; 1×4, 2×6) and Ragvi Bist (22 off 19; 1×4, 1×6) counter-attacked, including 48 off 37 balls.

Kanika dominated leg-spinner Priya Mishra, smashing back-to-back boundaries, together with a six, as her over went for 18 runs.

Bist appeared threatening, launching Meghna Singh’s off-cutter over long-on for a six, however GG struck again shortly, eradicating each batters inside 5 runs.

Bist was run out instantly after a dropped catch, whereas Kanika miscued an enormous hit, permitting Kanwar to dash again for an outstanding diving catch off her personal bowling.

Georgia Wareham (20 not out; 21 balls) and Richa Ghosh (9 off 10) tried to rebuild with a 21-run stand, however Kashvee’s yorker cleaned up Ghosh, maintaining GG in management.

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