Giants Finally Get One Over on Mumbai Indians in WPL 2026

Wow, what a game! The Women’s Premier League 2026 saw the Gujarat Giants Women take on the Mumbai Indians Women at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on January 30. And get this: the Giants *finally* beat their old rivals, the Mumbai Indians, winning by 11 runs! Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner were the heroes, showing off with both bat and ball to get the Giants into the Eliminator.

This game was a big deal. The Giants were hungry to prove they could hang with a team that always seemed to beat them. They won the toss and chose to bat first, wanting to put up a good score.

Giants’ Batters Shine

The Giants didn’t start great – Beth Mooney went out early, scoring only 5 runs after getting caught out by Shabnim Ismail. But Sophie Devine and Anushka Sharma chilled things out in the middle, scoring 25 and 33, showing some good skills and keeping the score moving.

Ashleigh Gardner, who captains Gujarat, really stepped up with 46 off just 28 balls. She and Georgia Wareham had a great partnership, putting up 71 runs together. Wareham ended up with 44 not out off 26 balls. That teamwork let the Giants get to 167/4 in 20 overs. They smacked 61 runs in the last five overs, showing they could really put the pedal to the metal when it mattered.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s Big Effort and Mumbai Indians Chase

To win, Mumbai Indians had to get 168. They were really counting on their captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, and she almost pulled it off, knocking 82 off 48 balls, with 8 fours and 4 sixes! She kept Mumbai in the hunt, especially since the top batters didn’t last long. Amelia Kerr scored 20, and Amanjot Kaur got 13. But after that, the others couldn’t hang on, and the score needed got way too high in those last few overs.

Harmanpreet was hitting some amazing shots, especially to the short boundaries, but she just didn’t get enough help. Mumbai ended up at 156/7, 11 runs short.

Wareham and Gardner Dominate with the Ball

The Gujarat Giants’ bowlers were awesome. Georgia Wareham got 2 wickets for 26 runs, including getting Amelia Kerr out at a key point. Ashleigh Gardner took the last Mumbai wicket, getting Poonam Khemnar out to win the game. Sophie Devine grabbed 2 wickets too, bowling smart and putting pressure on Mumbai. Wareham and Devine worked great together, with good control, showing why they’re some of the best bowlers in the WPL 2026.

Some Drama and Smart Plays

There were a few talking points in the game that changed things. Mumbai Indians lost Sanskriti Gupta to an LBW call that a few people disagreed with. It just goes to show how much those DRS reviews can matter! And the way Gujarat Giants used their spinners in the middle overs was smart, making it harder for Mumbai to score, even with Harmanpreet hitting so well.

Some people wondered if Gujarat Giants were wrong to bat first after losing those early wickets, but those later partnerships proved it was the right call. On the other hand, Mumbai might have relied too much on Harmanpreet at the end.

Good Stuff and Big Moments

Some cool things happened in this game. Georgia Wareham was named Player of the Match for doing so well with both the bat and ball. Ashleigh Gardner was a great leader, ending the game in the last over. Harmanpreet Kaur scored her sixth WPL fifty against Gujarat Giants, showing she’s one of the best players in the league. And Gujarat Giants finally won against Mumbai Indians in the WPL, which is a big deal for them going into the Eliminator.

Key Moments

The game really changed in the 17th and 18th overs when Gardner and Wareham started scoring quickly, turning a low score into what got them to win. Then, when Wareham got Amelia Kerr out, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad stumped Amanjot Kaur, it started to lead the Giants to win. Also, Gardner was brilliant in the last over, defending a score even tough Harmanpreet hit two sixes.

Who Shone Brightest

Georgia Wareham did everything well, scoring runs and getting wickets when it mattered most. Ashleigh Gardner was awesome too, leading the team and finishing the game. Harmanpreet Kaur showed her class, even though her team lost. And Sophie Devine bowled well, getting those key wickets. These players show how much talent the Gujarat Giants have.

My Thoughts

This game was so exciting and showed that the WPL 2026 is super competitive. The Gujarat Giants were strong and smart, beating a team that always seemed to have their number. Gardner and Wareham were incredible, and their bowling was so important. Harmanpreet Kaur was amazing, but cricket is a team game, and she needed more help. Now, the Gujarat Giants will have a lot of confidence, and the Mumbai Indians will need to work on their teamwork.

What I Think Will Happen Next

Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner will need to keep playing well for Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator. And for Mumbai Indians to do well, Harmanpreet Kaur will need help from Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, and Amanjot Kaur.