Edited By: Aditya Maheshwari
Last Updated: March 05, 2023, 23:44 IST
Grace Harris and Sophie Ecclestone shared a 70-run stand to take UP Warriorz over the line (Twitter/@WPLt20)
Grace Harris smashed 7 fours and 3 sixes in her unbeaten 59-run knock to take UP Warriorz over the line.
Grace Harris powered UP Warriorz to a thrilling three-wicket victory over Gujarat Giants in their first match of the Women’s Premier League at DY Patil Stadium. Harris played a sensational 59-run* knock to snatch victory from Gujarat Giants’ jaws in the death overs.
At one stage it was 63 runs needed from the last four overs and Harris completely shifted the momentum in Warriorz’s favour.
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In the final over UP Warriorz needed 19 runs and Harris smashed Annabel Sutherland for a six on the first ball to put pressure on Gujarat. And she finished it off in style with a six to seal the crucial victory for Warriorz.
A couple of reviews for the wides were also taken in the final over by both sides but Harris held her nerves throughout.
She smashed 7 fours and 3 sixes in her 26-ball explosive knock. The Aussie batter shared a crucial 70-run stand with Sophie Ecclestone who also scored crucial 22 runs off 12 balls.
Meanwhile, Kim Garth made an instant impact after joining Gujarat Giants as she claimed a five-wicket haul but failed to guide her team to a victory.
Garth, who joined Giants on Saturday as a replacement for Deandra Dottin, was too good for Warriorz batters in her first three overs but something changed in her last over of the spell.
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Batting first Gujarat Giants posted 169/6 courtesy of a crucial 46-run knock from Harleen Deol.
Chasing the 170-run target, UP lost their skipper Alyssa Healy early for 7 in the third over as Garth took a sensational catch on her follow-through. In the same over, Garth dismissed Shweta Sehrawat (5) and Tahlia McGrath (0) to dent Warriorz chase quite early.
Kiran Navgire led UP Warriorz fightback with a crucial half-century as she scored 53 runs off 43 balls which was laced with 5 fours and 2 sixes. The 28-year-old shared a 66-run stand with star all-rounder Deepti Sharma who failed to convert the start into a big score and was dismissed for 11.
Garth returned to the attack in the 13th over and got the crucial wickets of Navgire and Simran Shaikh (0) to pull UP Warriorz back in the game once again.
However, in the end, Harris disturbed Garth’s figures a bit – 5/36, by smashing her for boundaries in her final over of the spell.
Earlier, Harleen Deol stood tall with a counter-attacking 46 off 32 balls but the UP Warriorz spin duo of Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma bowled tidy spells to restrict Gujarat Giants to a par 169 for six in the Women’s Premier League here on Sunday.
The world’s No.1-ranked T20I bowler Sophie returned with 2/25, while Deepti also bagged two (2/27) as the spin duo operated cleverly in the middle overs to stymie Gujarat’s progress.
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