Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner made an immediate impact in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025, striking twice in her very first over to put Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on the back foot in their chase of 202. First, she trapped Smriti Mandhana plumb in front for 9 with a sharp delivery that angled in and skidded onto the pads. Four balls later, Gardner delivered another massive blow by cleaning up Danni Wyatt-Hodge for just 4.

Smriti Mandhana’s aggressive start cut short by Ashleigh Gardner’s precision

Mandhana walked out with intent, striking two crisp ?boundaries early on to signal RCB’s attacking approach in their daunting chase of 202. However, Gardner, leading Gujarat from the ?front, produced a masterclass in bowling, cutting short the RCB captain’s stay.

On just her second delivery of the match, Gardner bowled a back-of-a-length ball th??at pitched on off stump and skidded in sharply with the angle. Mandhana, caught on the crease while trying to play square on the leg side, failed to adjust?? to the sharp movement. The ball struck her flush on the pads, and up went the finger immediately. The appeal was loud and confident, and Mandhana herself seemed to know she was in trouble.

Despite looking ready to walk off, she was persuaded by her batting partner to take the review, possibly hoping the ball was sliding down her leg. But the replays crushed RCB’s hopes. The ball had beaten the inside edge of her bat and was heading straight into the middle stump, leaving no room for doubt. Ultra Edge confirmed no involvement of the bat, and ball-tracking showed three reds—crashing into the stumps. With that, Mandhana lost her wicket and burned RCB’s rev?iew in the first over. Gardner had struck gold, sending the opposition’s most experienced batter back for just 9 off 7 balls.

Also WATCH: Renuka Thakur starts WPL 2025 by shattering Laura Wolvaar??dt’s stumps with a brilliant delivery

Danni Wyatt-Hodge falls next, middle stump flattened

RCB, already rocked by the ??early departure of their captain, had no time to recover before Gardner struck again, this time dismantling Danni Wyatt-Hodge. The English opener had just opened her account with a boundary and was looking to settle in, but Gardner’s relentless accuracy did not allow her that luxury.

On the final ball of the same over, Gardner delivered a skiddy, fuller-length ball targeting off stump. Wyatt-Hodge, in an attempt to sweep, committed to the shot too early without getting close to the pitch of the ball. The result was disastrous – she missed it entirely, and the ball crashed into the middle stump, sending it flying.

As the bails lit up and the stump l??ay uprooted, Wyatt-Hodge could only look back in despair before walking off for just 4 off 4 balls. The Gujarat Giants erupted in celebration, and Gardner, with figures of 2/2 at the end of her first over, ha??d completely turned the match on its head. With both openers dismissed in quick succession, RCB’s chase of 201 had suffered a massive early setback, leaving them needing a massive recovery from their middle order to stay in the game.

Here’s the video:

𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 ✌️

First with the bat and now with the ball 👏👏#GG captain Ash Gardner is on an absolute roll ⚡️

Live- //t.co/5E1LoAlPBt #TATAWPL | #GGvRCB | @Giant_Cricket pic.twitter.com/N2CWlVtOAJ

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 14, 2025

Also WATCH: Virat Kohli’s special message to?? Smriti Mandhana’s RCB ??ahead of WPL 2025 opener against Gujarat Giants

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

For latest cricket news & updates, visit betvisa68.com.

Renuka Thakur provided the perfect breakthrough for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 opener against Gujarat Giants (GT), cleaning up Laura Wolvaardt with a stunning delivery.

Renuka Thakur dismantles Laura Wolvaardt with a sharp in-swinger

Bowling from over the wicket, Renuka pitched the ball just outside off-stu?mp, generating sharp inward movement off the surface. Wolvaardt, attempting an across-the-line heave without proper footwork, completely misjudged the swing. The ball zipped past her bat, crashing into the middle and off stump, leaving the batter with no chance of recovery.

The delivery was a textbook example of late movement, exploiting the batter’s lack of precise foot placement. Wolvaardt, who struggled to find fluency, managed only six runs off ten balls before Renuka’s brilliance ended her stay at the crease. The impact was immediate, as Gujarat Giants lost their first wi??cket at 35, giving RCB an early opening.

Renuka’s execution was flawless – she maintained a good length, allowing the ball to deviate off the pitch rather than giving Wolvaardt room to adjust. The lack of intent in Wolvaardt’s shot selection only amplified the effectiveness of the delivery, exposing her stumps completely.

This wicket set the tone for RCB’s bowling unit, as Renuka precisely led the attack. Her spell so far – overs for 21 runs with a wicket – highlighted her ability to extract movement and trouble batters early on. For Gujarat, losing Wolvaardt cheaply was a setback, forcing their middle order to rebuild after the early jolt.

Here’s the video:

CASTLED 🎯

Renuka Singh Thakur with the first wicket of #TATAWPL season 3 🔥

Laura Wolvaardt departs.

Live – //t.co/jjI6oXJcBI #TATAWPL #GGvRCB pic.twitter.com/hVljsewUru

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 14, 2025

Also READ: WPL 2025 Opening Ceremony: Date, Time, Performers and Live Streaming deta?ils

RCB bowlers puts Gujarat Giants at backfoot in the WPL 2025 opener

RCB made a steady start with the ball after opting to field first in the WPL 2025 opener at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. Gujarat, led by Beth Mooney, managed 53/2 in nine overs, struggling to gain momentum against a disciplined RCB attack. Renuka provided the first breakthrough, cleaning up Laura Wolvaardt for 6 with a sharp in-swinger in the fifth over. Kanika Ahuja then added to RCB’s success by dismissing Dayalan Hemalatha for 4, caught by Prema Rawat at mid-wicket.

Mooney remained the anchor, scoring 35 not out so far off 31 balls, striking four boundaries while maintaining a measured approach. Ashleigh Gardner, the captain, joined her at the crease but found it tough to accelerate. The scoring rate hovered around 5.88 as RCB’s bowlers maintained tight lines. Renuka (1/21) and Ahuja (1/7) were the standout performers, while VJ Joshitha and Kim Garth?? kept things tight. With Gujarat at 53/2 by the ninth over, they will need a strong?? push in the second half to reach a competitive total.

Also WATCH: Virat Kohli’s sp?ecial ??message to Smriti Mandhana’s RCB ahead of WPL 2025 opener against Gujarat Giants

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

For latest cricket news & updates, visit betvisa68.com.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face Gujarat Giants (GG) in the 16th match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, March 18. It is a second match of the double-header. Mumbai Indians (MI) and UP Warriorz (UPW) will take on each other in the afternoon clash.

RCB’s chances of going further seemed dusted after five straight defeats. However, with their only win against UP Warriorz, the Challengers somehow still managed to be in the race of playoffs. They have to win their remaining games and hope the other teams play according to their minimal chances of making it through.

Likewise, the Giants also have a similar story. With the?ir win in the previous game against the De?lhi Capitals (DC), the Giants have also managed to keep themselves alive, but again their net ??run rate is at the lowest, which will make an impact as the tournament progresses.

RCB are placed at the last spot in the points table after one win and five def?eats while the Giants are just above them at fourth posit??ion with two wins out of six matches.

RCB vs GG, Match Details:

• Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Giants, Match 16 of WPL 2023
• Date and Time: March 18 at 7:30 pm IST/2:00 pm GMT
• Venue: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Predicted XIs:

RCB: Smriti Mandhana (C), Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Richa Ghosh (wk)?, Shreyanka Patil, Kanika Ahuja, Disha Kasat, Megan Schutt,? Asha Shobana, Renuka Thakur/Preeti Bose

GG: Sophia Dunkley, Laura Wolvaardt, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sne??h Rana (C), Sushma Verma (wk), Kim Garth, Tanuja K??anwar, Mansi Joshi, Ashwani Kumari

Match Prediction:

Case 1

• RCB wins the toss and bowls first
• Powerplay score: 45-50
• GG total: 150-160

Case 2

• GG wins the toss and bowls first
• Powerplay score: 55-60
• RCB total: 160-170

RCB to win the contest.

Source: WomenCricket.com

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