WPL 2023: Tahila Mcgrath & Grace Harris lead UP Warriorz to the playoffs after beating Gujarat Giants by 3 wickets

UP Warriorz beat Gujarat Giants for the second time in the campaign, and with this victory, they also booked their tickets for the playoffs. A brilliant comeback after loosing 3 huge wickets during a big run chase. Tahila Mcgrath once again proved her worth with a brilliant inning while a match-winning inning from Grace Harris completed the run chase. Gujarat Giants lost their opportunities when they got and it backfired big time. This was the fourth victory for UP Warriorz in the WPL 2023 campaign and they hold themselves tight to the third position of the points table.

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WPL 2023: Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz Match Report

Ashleigh Gardner & Dayalan Hemalatha led Gujarat Giants to a brilliant total after loosing early wickets

Sophia Dunkley & Laura Wolvaardt started the inning for Gujarat Giants. They both started with positive intent as Gujarat managed to score 29 runs in the first 3 overs. After 4 overs Gujarat lost three quick wickets. Anjali Sarvani provided UP with the first breakthrough. She cleaned up Laura Wolvaardt for 17 (13). Anjali bowled a length ball and the ball hits her back pads and deviated into the stumps. 

Rajeshwari Gayakwad then removed two quick wickets in the following over. The first one to out was Sophia Dunkley, who was caught by Anjali Sarvani at the backward point. She Failed to pick the turn and mistimed her shot. She got out for 23(13). Harleen Deol (4) became the next batter to depart. She came down the track and Gayakwad bowled away from her. The shot sliced up in the air toward the cover point and Simran Shaikh completed a simple catch.

Gardner & Hemalatha's partnership:

Sophie Ecclestone was welcomed with a four by Ashleigh Gardner, who went on to hit her a six in the same over. The maximum brought up the 50-run stand between Gardner and Dayalan Hemalatha in the 12th over.

Dayalan Hemalatha then hit Deepti Sharma for a six to bring up her half-century. She then hit the spinner for a boundary toward extra cover. Parshavi Chopra got the breakthrough in the first ball of the 17th over. She dismissed Dayalan Hemalatha for 57 (33), who was caught in the deep by Tahila McGrath. Ashleigh Gardner hit Deepti Sharma for a four to bring up her fifty. However, she was dismissed in the next over bowled by Parshavi Chopra. The spinner offered some flight by teasing the batter. Ashleigh Gardner failed to make any connection, which resulted in an easy stumping. She lost her wicket for 60 in 39 deliveries. Sophie Ecclestone came into the bowl the final over. She conceded seven runs and picked the wicket of Ashwani Kumari. Gujarat Giants posted 178/6 in 20 overs after deciding to bat first.

Tahila Mcgrath & Grace Harris' brilliance in the chase booked the ticket for UP Warriorz in the Playoffs of WPL 2023

Devika Vaidya and Alyssa Healy started the 179-run chase as Kim Garth led the attack for Gujarat Giants. Monica Patel gave Gujarat Giants an early breakthrough after being hit for a couple of boundaries by Alyssa Healy earlier in the over. Eventually, she got the better off the UP captain in the second last ball of the over. A back-of-a-length ball and Healy decided to pull for a big hit but mistimed her shot big time and ended up giving a simple catch to Harleen Deol at deep square leg. She lost her wicket for only 12 runs.

Kim Garth provided Gujarat Giants with the second breakthrough. She got rid of Kiran Navgire for 4 runs(4). Navgire went for the pull but ended up giving a simple catch to Laura Wolvaardt at mid-on. Tanuja Kanwar was brought into the attack and she got hit for a couple of boundaries by Tahila McGrath. The second one was a caught-and-bowl opportunity, which the bowler completely misjudged. However, Kanwar made a quick comeback and dismissed Devika Vaidya later in the over. She got stumped for 7(8).

Partnership between Tahila & Grace:

UP Warriorz settled in, thanks to Tahila & Grace Harris' partnership which helped them to reach 82/3 in 10 overs after loosing the first three wickets for just 39 runs. Tahlia McGrath welcomed Kim Grath with a boundary and added another three singles along with Grace Harris to bring up the 50-plus stand for the fourth wicket in 11 overs. Tahlia McGrath hit Tanuja Kanwar for a boundary in the next over. She drove her through covers for a boundary and with this, she also brought up her half-century.

Ashleigh Gardner provided Gujarat Giants with the much-needed breakthrough as she got rid of dangerous Tahlia McGrath for 57(38). Sneh Rana took the catch. Sneh Rana picked her first wicket as Deepti Sharma went for the aerial route but ends up giving a catch to Ashleigh Gardner at mid-on. She falls for 6(5). Grace Harris hits Tanuja Kanwar for a boundary to bring up her half-century. She continues her wrath and hits her for another boundary. 11 runs come off the over as UPW reached 149/5 after 17 overs. UP Warriorz completely turned around the game after loosing three quick wickets. They needed 30 runs in the last three overs.

Grace Harris & Sophie Ecclestone with the Winning runs for UP Warriorz:

Sophie Ecclestone failed to time her shot against Ashleigh Gardner but she got lucky as Sneh Rana failed to hold on to the ball at long-on. Grace Harris then hit Gardner for a six as 11 runs come off the 18th over. Kim Garth came to bowl the 19th over and she got hit for a four by Sophie Ecclestone. Harris hit Garth for a six but in the very next delivery, she lost her wicket as she handed a catch to Harleen Deol at long-on. Grace Harris departed after scoring a brilliant 72 runs in just 41 deliveries. A match-winning inning from the Warriorz batter. UP Warriorz completed the run chase with three wickets in hand. With this outcome, they also qualified for the WPL 2023 playoffs.