GG vs UPW, WPL 2026 Highlights: Phoebe Litchfield’s fiery 78 goes in vain as Gujarat Giants down UP by 10 runs

...THE CHASE...

So, it’s a mountain to climb for the UP Warriorz. It’s a daunting task, but after seeing RCB pull off a similar feat last night, hope is far from lost. As the sun sets and the pitch potentially eases up for the chase, could we be in for another thriller? Stay tuned to find out!

The debutant, Anushka Sharma is up for a quick chat. She says that she was a bit nervous before the game but after 2-3 balls, it went down. Adds that it was a great outing and she says the talk between her and Ash was to build a partnership and it went well. Mentions that it is all about the mindset and how you read the situation and react to it. Tells that domestic cricket has helped her a lot and the coaches have put in the work to identify the areas where she can score her boundaries. End by saying that this is a good total on the board and they have a great bowling side and is confident of defending it.

Gardner was content to play the anchor role early on, but she finished with a flourish, launching a series of blistering sixes to reach her fifty. It was heartbreak for Sharma, however, who holed out on 44 after a stellar debut knock. The UP Warriorz struggled to find answers, failing to execute their plans or bowl to their fields, which left them vulnerable to a relentless Gujarat Giants attack.

A cautious start turned into a batting masterclass for the Gujarat Giants! After Sophie Devine provided the early sparks, the UP Warriorz fought back with two quick wickets but then the magic happened. Debutant Anushka Sharma and the clinical Ashleigh Gardner dismantled the bowling attack with a massive 103-run stand. From Sharma’s fearless debut to Gardner’s veteran brilliance, it was a display of pure dominance.

The Gujarat Giants have breached the 200-run barrier! It looked like their momentum had stalled following the quick departures of Ashleigh Gardner and Anushka Sharma, but an explosive partnership between Georgia Wareham and Bharti Fulmali in the death overs ensured a massive finish.

Deepti Sharma to Bharti Fulmali, A couple of dots to end the innings then! Deepti Sharma darts in another yorker, on leg. Bharti Fulmali fails to dig it out, and Shweta Sehrawat does well to move to her left and get her body behind the ball to stop it. Gujarat Giants finish on 207/4.

Deepti Sharma to Bharti Fulmali, Fires in a yorker, on middle, Bharti Fulmali only manages to dig it out on the pitch.

Deepti Sharma to Bharti Fulmali, SIX! Wow..this is even better and bigger! Deepti Sharma bowls a half-tracker, on middle. Bharti Fulmali pounces on it quickly, rocks back and whacks it over the deep mid-wicket fence for half a dozen more. 200 UP FOR THE GIANTS!

Deepti Sharma to Bharti Fulmali, SIX! Just over!  Deepti Sharma floats it up, full and around middle. Bharti Fulmali clears her front leg away and lofts it down the ground. Deandra Dottin at long on thinks she is in the game but only watches sail over her head for a biggie.

Deepti Sharma to Georgia Wareham, Another full toss, on middle, Georgia Wareham swipes it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Deepti Sharma to Bharti Fulmali, A full toss, on off, Bharti Fulmali slogs it wide of long on for a single. 

Who'll bowl the final over? It is Deepti Sharma.

Deandra Dottin to Georgia Wareham, SIX MORE! Oh..wow! That is a shot and a half. Deandra Dottin lands this back of a length and outside off. Georgia Wareham makes room to access the off side, reaches out and carves it over the deep extra cover fence for half a dozen more. 20 runs off the 19th over.

Deandra Dottin to Georgia Wareham, Swing and a miss! Fullish and angling into the leg side, Georgia Wareham swings hard across the line but fails to connect.

Deandra Dottin to Georgia Wareham, SIX! BOOM! Georgia Wareham is showing her power here. Pitched up and on middle and leg again. Wareham clears her front leg away and smokes it well over the deep mid-wicket fence for another biggie.

Deandra Dottin to Bharti Fulmali, A full toss now, on leg, Bharti Fulmali swipes it away but straight towards short fine for just one.

Deandra Dottin to Georgia Wareham, DROPPED! Another chance goes begging here. Short of a length and around off, Georgia Wareham slaps it really hard but straight towards short cover. Kranti Gaud moves to her right and tries to grab it above her head but it has hit so hard that it bursts through her hands. They cross.

Deandra Dottin to Georgia Wareham, SIX! Clears the fence! Deandra Dottin goes a bit fuller and on middle and leg. Georgia Wareham makes room, shifts her weight on the back foot and muscles it down towards the long on fence. Harleen Deol runs to her left but does not attempt to catch or stop it as it sails over her head for a biggie.

Sophie Ecclestone to Bharti Fulmali, Floate, full and on leg, Bharti Fulmali knocks it back to the bowler.

Both the set batters are dismissed in consecutive overs. Can Gujarat Giants still reach 200? Bharti Fulmali walks in to bat.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, OUT! TIMBER! Sophie Ecclestone strikes now. She bowls this slower through the air, full and on off, turns away a bit. Ashleigh Gardner goes down on one knee for the slog sweep but tries to hit it a bit too hard and loses her shape. She misses it completely as the ball goes through and rattles the stumps. Gardner departs for an excellent 65 off 41, and has led her side from the front here.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, FOUR! Cheeky and effective! Sophie Ecclestone bowls this flatter and around middle. Ashleigh Gardner is expecting that, shuffles across early and takes it on the full to scoop it past short fine for a boundary.

Sophie Ecclestone to Georgia Wareham, Goes short and around off, Georgia Wareham punches it wide of extra cover for a run.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, In the air...SAFE! Tossed up, full and on middle, Ashleigh Gardner goes down to slog it across the line but gets a top edge. Phoebe Litchfield from deep mid-wicket runs a long way forward but the ball lands inside the circle safely. A single taken.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, Flighted, full and on middle, Ashleigh Gardner backs away and drives it to extra cover.

Deandra Dottin to Ashleigh Gardner, Fuller in length and on leg, Ashleigh Gardner lofts it hard down the ground, where Georgia Wareham does well to get out of the way. It rolls towards long on. They cross.

Deandra Dottin to Georgia Wareham, Another full toss, on the pads, Georgia Wareham works it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Deandra Dottin to Georgia Wareham, FOUR! A bit sloppy in the field! Deandra Dottin serves a low full toss, on the pads. Georgia Wareham flicks it away using her wrists and times it well. It zips through the outfield wide of deep mid-wicket, where Phoebe Litchfield runs to her left and dives but lets it through for a boundary.

Deandra Dottin to Ashleigh Gardner, Overpitched and on middle, Ashleigh Gardner drills it down to long on for a run.

Deandra Dottin to Ashleigh Gardner, WIDE! Pitched up but down the leg side, Ashleigh Gardner fails to glance it away. Wided.

Deandra Dottin to Georgia Wareham, Fuller and on leg, Georgia Wareham clips it through mid-wicket for a single.

Deandra Dottin breaks the 103-run partnership. Georgia Wareham replaces Anushka Sharma.

Deandra Dottin to Anushka Sharma, OUT! TAKEN! Deandra Dottin gets the big breakthrough and breaks the huge 103-run stand here. She goes fuller and on middle and leg, Anushka Sharma tries to loft it down the ground with a straight bat, but connects it with the bottom half of the willow. She does not get the elevation and the ball flies towards long on, where Harleen Deol moves to her left to take a good catch. Sharma goes back for a fine 44 off 30 on debut, and Gujarat Giants are 158/3.

Shikha Pandey to Anushka Sharma, Right in the blockhole, on off, Anushka Sharma jams it out to long off for one more. Just six singles of the over. Good stuff from Pandey after the break!

Shikha Pandey to Ashleigh Gardner, Hard length and on middle and leg, Ashleigh Gardner heaves it away to deep square leg for one.

Shikha Pandey to Anushka Sharma, Uppish but safe! Pitched up and around off, Anushka Sharma slices it in the air and it lands just over the extra cover fielder for another run.

Shikha Pandey to Ashleigh Gardner, Fuller one and on leg, Ashleigh Gardner backs away and drills it to long on for a run. That brings up the 100-RUN STAND between these two batters.

Shikha Pandey to Anushka Sharma, Short of a length and on middle, Anushka Sharma pulls it aerially. 'Catch It' is the call from the keeper, but it lands on the bounce to deep square le. They cross.

Shikha Pandey to Ashleigh Gardner, On a length and on middle, Ashleigh Gardner clips it through mid-wicket for single.

Strategic Break! It was Anushka Sharma who was scoring briskly, a couple of overs ago, but in the blink of an eye, Ashleigh Gardner notched up her half-century in just 30 balls, which shows how quickly she can change gears. This partnership is looking really threatening, and they have a great platform to go big in the death overs and target 200, with a lot of batting still left. The Warriorz are running out of ideas, and they need to break this stand quickly or else they are in danger of getting batted out of this game. Maybe this break will help them. Also, Shikha Pandey to bowl now.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, Too full and around off, Gardner drives it to mid off where the fielder half-stops, diving to her right and concedes a single. Sophie Ecclestone concedes 13 runs in her over.

Sophie Ecclestone to Anushka Sharma, Sliding on the leg side, Sharma sweeps it through square leg for a single.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, Flat and outside, off, slapped to deep cover for a single. 150 up for Gujarat now.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, FOUR! Fifty for the skipper! She is leading Gujarat Giants to a big score. Too much width outside off, Gardner hammers it past point for a boundary.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, SIX! Gardner is dealing in sixes! She has actually left her partner behind in the blink of an eye. Floats and drifts it on middle, Gardner puts on her skates and tonks it over long on for a biggie.

Sophie Ecclestone to Ashleigh Gardner, Flat and into the surface, bounces a bit on middle, Gardner makes room to cut but misses and it rolls over the stumps.

Change? Yes, Sophie Ecclestone is back on. She needs to put in a stem to the run flow.

Asha Sobhana to Ashleigh Gardner, Short and wide of off, Gardner plays it past point and keeps the strike with a run. 18 runs off this over too. 36 runs off the last two overs.

Asha Sobhana to Ashleigh Gardner, SIX! Much straighter and much better! Looped up, full and on middle, Ashleigh Gardner skips down again and smashes it over long on for back-to-back sixes.