The Warriors’ victory was a fitting start to the Women’s Premier League, which promises to be an exciting tournament. With several talented players on display, including some of the best cricketers from around the world, fans can look forward to some high-quality cricket over the next few weeks.
The inaugural Women’s Premier League has been a platform for several talented cricketers to showcase their skills, and Grace Harris is no exception. The seasoned Australian all-rounder displayed her mastery of the game with a scintillating knock of 59 not out off just 26 balls, leading her team, UP Warriorz, to a thrilling victory over Gujarat Giants.
Grace Harris was the star performer in the match between UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants in the inaugural Women’s Premier League held at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday evening. At one point, Warriorz were struggling at 88-6 in response to a target of 170 set by the Giants after Harleen Deol gritty 46 (32b, 7×4). Kim Garth had taken five wickets to leave the Warriorz reeling. However, Harris put up a masterful performance with an unbeaten 59 off 26 balls (7×4, 3×6) to guide her team to a three-wicket victory. She smashed four boundaries in the 18th over to turn the game around and forged a crucial 70-run partnership with Sophie Ecclestone (22 n.o., 12b, 1×4,1×6). Harris hit a six off the first ball of the final over when 19 runs were required. She then sealed the win with another six, leading her team to reach 175-7.
Earlier in the match, Warriors lost three wickets in the first three overs, with Garth claiming all three, leaving just 20 runs on the board. Kiran Navgire then fought back with a 43-ball-53 and a 66-run stand with Deepti Sharma, before Mansi Joshi cleaned up Deepti. Garth then struck in the next over, removing Navgire and Simran Shaikh off successive deliveries. Harris and Ecclestone then stood firm to prevent the innings from collapsing.
In Gujarat Giant’s innings, Sabbhineni Meghana and Sophia Dunkley gave the team a good start, accumulating 34 runs off just 22 balls. However, Deepti Sharma put the brakes on the scoring rate by dismissing Dunkley (13). Sophie Ecclestone then got rid of Meghana (24 off 15). The number one ranked T20I bowler in the world then struck again in the eighth over to get rid of Annabel Sutherland (8). The fourth wicket came in the form of Sushma Verma (9) who was dismissed by Australia star Tahila McGrath. At 76-4 in 10.3 overs, Deol and Ashleigh Gardner built a 44-run partnership to steady the innings. Gardner scored 25 off 19 before being stumped by her compatriot Alyssa Healy. Deol continued playing aggressively until left-arm pacer Anjali Sarvani got her wicket.
The Gujarat Giants, on the other hand, will be left wondering how they let the game slip away. After posting a challenging total of 169-6, thanks to Harleen Deol’s gritty knock of 46, they seemed to be in control of the game when Kim Garth removed the top three Warriors batters inside the first three overs. However, they were unable to capitalize on their early advantage, as Harris and Ecclestone took the game away from them.
Despite the loss, the Giants will take heart from the fact that several of their players put in impressive performances. Sabbhineni Meghana and Sophia Dunkley gave their team a flying start, accumulating 34 runs off just 22 balls, before being dismissed by Deepti Sharma and Sophie Ecclestone, respectively. Harleen Deol played a crucial knock in the middle order, scoring 46 off 32 balls, and Ashleigh Gardner provided the necessary impetus towards the end with a quickfire 25 off 19 balls.
Harris’s brilliant performance earned her the player of the match award, and her team a thrilling victory in the first match of the Women’s Premier League. The league promises to be an exciting event for cricket fans around the world, featuring top women cricketers from various countries showcasing their skills and talent. The success of the Women’s Premier League could help grow the game and attract more female players and fans to cricket.
In conclusion, Grace Harris’s match-winning knock was a testament to her ability to rise to the occasion when her team needed her the most. Her unbeaten 59 off 26 balls was a masterclass in power hitting and was instrumental in guiding the Warriors to a thrilling victory. The Women’s Premier League promises to be a platform for several talented cricketers to showcase their skills, and the opening match was a perfect example of the exciting cricket that fans can look forward to over the next few weeks.
