Harris guides UP Warriors to a thrilling win over Gujarat Giants

Navi Mumbai. Australian all-rounder Grace Harris struck a half-century after Indian batsman Kiran Navagire’s talismanic innings helped UP Warriors come back from the brink of defeat in a thrilling match against Gujarat in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) T20 cricket tournament here on Sunday. Giants beat by three wickets. Batting first, Gujarat Giants, who suffered a crushing 143-run defeat by Mumbai Indians in the first match, scored a challenging score of 169 for six after winning the toss. In response, the UP Warriors team was in a losing position despite Kiran Navagire’s 53 runs, but Harris scored an unbeaten 59 off 26 balls with the help of seven fours and three sixes, and the UP Warriors scored 175 runs for seven wickets. Reached it and gave him the victory with one ball remaining.

Harris shared an unbroken 70-run partnership in just 25 balls for the eighth wicket with Sophie Ecclestone (22 not out off 12 balls). His brilliant batting also nullified the efforts of Australian all-rounder Kim Garth, who took five wickets for 36 runs. Warriors needed 19 runs in the last over. Annabel Sutherland comes in to do this over. Harris sent his first ball for a six. He then hit two fours and the winning six off the fifth ball. For Gujarat Giants, Harleen Deol scored 46 off 32 balls with the help of seven fours. Apart from them, Ashleigh Gardner (25 off 19 balls, two fours, one six), opener S Meghna (24 off 15 balls) and Dayalan Hemlata (21 not out off 13 balls) also made useful contributions.

For the Warriors, off-spinner Deepti Sharma and left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone took two wickets each. The Warriors did not have a good start in batting. Australian all-rounder Garth, who made a last-minute replacement for Deandra Dottin, took three wickets in his second and third overs of the innings to rattle the Warriors’ top-order. Garth first caught captain Alyssa Healy (seven) out on his own ball and then dismissed opener Shweta Sehrawat (five) and compatriot Tahelia McGrath (0) off the last two balls of the over to leave the Warriors in deep trouble. Put. Warriors scored 35 runs for three wickets in the powerplay. Kiran shared a 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Deepti Sharma (11 off 16 balls). He completed his half-century in the 12th over by taking two runs off Mansi Joshi. However, Mansi broke the partnership by bowling Deepti in the same over. After this, Garth again handled the ball and then took two wickets in consecutive balls.

He bowled Simran Sheikh after getting Kiran caught behind the wicket. Kiran hit five fours and two sixes in his 43-ball innings. Harris and Ecclestone kept the Warriors’ hopes alive by scoring quick runs in the death overs. Harris spoiled Garth’s bowling analysis by hitting three consecutive fours in the last over. He then gave the Warriors a resounding victory by keeping Sutherland on target. Earlier, Meghna and Sophia Dunkley (13) got Gujarat Giants off to a good start by adding 34 runs for the first wicket. Both these openers, however, returned to the pavilion within five balls. Deepti Sharma bowled Dunkley while Ecclestone forced Meghna to take a simple catch at short third man. Meghna hit five fours in her 15-ball innings. Ecclestone also did not let Annabel Sutherland (eight) last long. Anjali Sarvani ran at long on and took his catch.

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Sushma Verma (9) was the next batsman to be dismissed, losing her wicket while attempting to sweep the medium pacer Tahlia McGrath. From here, Harleen shared an important 44-run partnership with Gardner for the fifth wicket. Deepti broke the partnership by dismissing Gardner in her second spell. Harleen then adopted an aggressive attitude. She hit leg-spinner Devika Vaidya for four consecutive fours but was caught at the boundary line in the next over by Anjali Sarwani in an attempt to play a long shot. After this, Hemlata and caretaker captain Sneh Rana (9) scored 27 runs in the last 16 balls. Hemlata hit two fours and a six in her innings. Gujarat Giants captain Beth Mooney was injured in the first match against Mumbai Indians and hence she was rested for this match.