GG lost their first match of WPL 2026.
Gujarat Giants (GG) captain Ashleigh Gardner revealed the tactical reason behind why she underbowled herself amidst the whirlwind knock from Harmanpreet Kaur at the DY Patil Stadium on Tuesday, January 13. Riding on Harmanpreet’s brisk fifty, MI registered the second-highest successful run chase of 193 in WPL history, behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) 202 in 2025.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, GG skipper Ashleigh Gardner reflected on her only over and conceded that she could have bowled more overs.
“If you look at the stats, I probably don’t match up overly well against Harmanpreet. She’s probably had the better of me over my international career,” Gardner said. “As a captain, you sometimes don’t use yourself enough. I had eight bowling options, and I felt there were better match-ups.”
Out of the 10 runs scored by MI from Gardner’s solitary over, Harmanpreet herself yielded nine runs from four balls, including a towering six. Their T20 head-to-head matchup reads grim for the Aussie all-rounder. Harmanpreet has hammered 134 off 79 balls bowled by Gardner at an impressive strike rate of 169.6, and the off-spinner has dismissed her only twice. This highlights a clear dominance from Harmanpreet over Gardner.
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Ashleigh Gardner bowling just one over allowed a breather for MI middle-order batters, especially after a couple of early blows. The two-time champions began poorly, losing both openers early in the innings. Kamalini managed 13 off 12 balls, but Hayley Matthews, returning to MI Playing XI after missing the first two games, sparked the chase with 22 off 12. Despite this, MI were reeling at 37/2 after 4.5 overs.
From there, MI took advantage of mistakes from Gardner as Amanjot Kaur, who got a promotion in batting order, and Harmanpreet built a partnership of 72 off just 44 balls, setting a foundation for the win.
Batting at No. 5, Nicola Carey made her intentions clear from the first ball, scoring 38 off 23 balls, while Harmanpreet, who was dropped three times by GG players, anchored the innings with boundaries, securing victory for Mumbai Indians in the final over.
Harmanpreet Kaur remained unbeaten on 71 off 43 balls, laced with seven fours and two sixes. The MI captain achieved her fifth fifty in eight matches against GG, the most by any player against a WPL opponent. Her match-winning knock also earned her the Player of the Match award. The innings saw Harmanpreet topping the run charts in WPL 2026. Notably, the MI captain also became the only second batter and the first Indian to score 1000 runs in WPL history.
Earlier in the match, the Giants scored 192/5, marking their third successive total over 180. Beth Mooney and Kanika Ahuja steadied the ship after Sophie Devine’s early dismissal. However, GG losing two quick wickets in the middle overs shifted the momentum, but what followed was a batting masterclass of how to build and accelerate the innings under pressure from both Bharti Fulmali and Georgia Wareham.
Bharti’s rapid 36 off 15, including three sixes and as many fours, after debutant Ayushi Soni’s tactical retire-out, and an exceptional supportive knock from Wareham for a crucial 56-run partnership, helped them post a competitive total on the board. This marked their eighth defeat on the trot against Mumbai Indians in WPL.
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