Gujarat Giants delivered a commanding performance against UP Warriorz, winning the match by 81 runs at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, on March 3, 2025, during the Women's Premier League (WPL). The star of the show was Beth Mooney, who dazzled with her unbeaten score of 96 runs off 59 balls, leading the team to 186 for 5.
Upon winning the toss, UP Warriorz chose to bowl first, hoping to capitalize on the fresh pitch conditions. Mooney's steady innings included 17 boundaries, establishing her as one of the competition's top performers. Alongside her, Harleen Deol provided solid support with 45 runs from 32 deliveries.
Despite losing Dayalan Hemalatha on the very first ball, the Giants' response was impactful as Mooney and Deol shared a 101-run partnership, providing the momentum needed to post a formidable target. "The game was set up beautifully by Beth Mooney with the fantastic 96. The partnership she had with Harleen really set up the game and allowed someone like Deandra Dottin to come in and score some quick runs," said Ashleigh Gardner, captain of Gujarat Giants.
Following the foundation laid by Mooney and Deol, the later stages of the innings saw quick runs from Deandra Dottin, who made 17 off just 8 balls before succumbing to Sophie Ecclestone. The English bowler was the pick of the Warriorz' bowlers, finishing with figures of 2 for 34, but her efforts were not enough to stem the run flow.
The UP Warriorz' innings got off to a disastrous start as they crumbled to 2 for 3 right from the beginning when Dottin struck early, taking two wickets with the new ball. She dismissed Kiran Navgire and Georgia Voll within the first over, shocking the home side. "It was a chaseable target and the outfield was pretty good, but we lost back-to-back wickets and couldn't chase it down. Our top 4-5 need to take initiative and we repeated the mistakes from the last game,” lamented Deepti Sharma, captain of UP Warriorz.
The Warriorz continued to falter as they quickly reached 25 for 4 by the end of the fourth over. Grace Harris briefly fought back, making 25 runs off 30 balls, but no one else managed to provide any support. Chinelle Henry offered some entertainment with 28 off 14 balls, but these efforts were too little, too late. The Warriorz were bowled out for just 105 runs, with Kashvee Gautam and Tanuja Kanwar each taking 3 wickets, concluding the innings with 17 balls to spare.
This victory not only marked Gujarat Giants' second consecutive win but also propelled them up to second place on the league table, moving them past the Mumbai Indians. Meanwhile, the Warriorz dropped to the bottom of the table after their disappointing collapse. The Giants will look to build on this momentum as the tournament progresses, with Mooney's incredible innings becoming the highlight of the match.
The fans at the stadium witnessed Mooney's batting masterclass as she stood firm, even when wickets fell around her. Her performance is now among the best recorded scores in the history of the WPL. Not only did she earn the Player of the Match award, but she also reiterated her status as one of the tournament's finest batswomen, with her score of 96 now representing her highest innings to date against UP Warriorz.