Deepti Sharma plays an inspired knock but UP Warriorz let down again poor fielding in defeat against Gujarat Giants | Cricket News
A fighting partnership, inspired knock from Deepti Sharma, misfields, and high drama – which dragged the match deeper and deeper even as the run rate continued to climb – may not have been enough to win the game for the UP Warriorz. But it was enough to ensure a fourth successive thriller in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) as the Gujarat Giants crawled to an eight-run win in New Delhi on Monday.
A well-paced, fortunate knock from Beth Mooney and a fiery spell from 16-year-old Shabnam Shakil would put the Gujarat Giants in an unassailable-looking position before Deepti’s unbeaten 60-ball 88 and a 109-run partnership with Poonam Khemnar took the game to the penultimate ball. Ultimately Gujarat escaped with a win.
Deepti came into bat in the second over, after Shabnam cleaned up the team’s top order, finishing with figures of 3-11. From there, Deepti kept the scoreboard ticking with occasional boundaries. She kept the team in the running for an unlikely victory in a must-win encounter that they had been fumbling through errors of their own doing.
Incredible fighting knock!@Deepti_Sharma06 nearly pulled off a memorable win for the @UPWarriorz
Live 💻📱https://t.co/WHTYqs2Bd5 #TATAWPL | #GGvUPW pic.twitter.com/jpDiBMUljw
— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 11, 2024
Last week, after a disappointing defeat against Mumbai Indians, Warriorz coach Jon Lewis attempted to justify at a press conference why there have been so many dropped catches and misfields throughout this season – especially in his own team, which has dropped the most (13 chances). Inexperience in different fielding positions and playing under the lights, were among the reasons led.
On Monday, it would once again be crucial dropped catches that would be the Warriorz’s undoing.
UP’s slow spinners turned the screws on a batting attack that had been well setup their openers, reducing them to 105/5 in 14 overs from 53/0 in the powerplay. However, the Warriorz would drop two absolute sitters for the wicket of Mooney, Gujarat’s only settled batter who was majorly struggling for rhythm.
What A Start 👏
Young Shabnam Shakil shocks #UPW with 2 big wickets in the first over
Live 💻 📱https://t.co/WHTYqs2Bd5#TATAWPL | #GGvUPW pic.twitter.com/KL4N47aofI
— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 11, 2024
The first, a swipe put down Shweta Sehrawat at extra cover, and the second, a heave let go Khemnar at deep midwicket. The Australian was at 50 from 43 when she was second-time lucky. She would end her innings at an unbeaten 52-ball 74, smashing 21 from the final over alone, to drag her side to a slightly below par 152.
This was the third time the Warriorz failed to chase a 160-odd total. But the momentum had swung with their sloppiness in the field, and their run chase was demolished the fourth over, when they were reduced to 20/4. Despite Deepti’s heroics – which allowed her to pick up the orange cap for now over the likes of Meg Lanning and Smriti Mandhana – there was just too much to be done in the death. The defeat has now all but ended their campaign.
Delhi Capitals and MI have already qualified for playoffs and will battle for top spot that gives automatic entry to the final. Now, Royal Challengers Bangalore must just avoid a heavy defeat on Tuesday against MI to earn the third place.
Brief scores: Gujarat Giants 152/8 (Wolvaardt 43, Mooney 74; Ecclestone 3/38, Deepti 2/22) beat UP Warriorz 144/5 (Deepti 88*, Poonam 36; Shabnaml 3/11) 8 runs.
