GG vs RCB Match Prediction: Who will win today's WPL 2025 match?
The third season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) is all set to kick off on Friday, February 14, when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face off against the Gujarat Giants (GG). The Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara will play host to the encounter.
RCB and GG have endured contrasting fortunes so far in the WPL. The Giants have missed out on the playoffs in both seasons so far, and they haven't even been close. The Royal Challengers did decently in the inaugural edition before going all the way in 2024, beating the Delhi Capitals in a memorable final.
This year, though, things are different. GG have gone through an extensive overhaul of their coaching staff and tried to do that to their squad as well, albeit with less success. RCB have been struck by a spate of injury and availability concerns, with key players missing out for the entire WPL 2025 and others for the first leg at least.
Bengaluru have tons of talent in their ranks, but they aren't the formidable force they were last year. That will encourage Gujarat, who haven't had much to write home about in the WPL and desperately need a turnaround in fortunes.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Smriti Mandhana (c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Sabbhineni Meghana, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Renuka Thakur Singh, Ekta Bisht, Heather Graham, Sophie Molineux, Shreyanka Patil, Jagravi Pawar, Asha Sobhana, Joshitha V J.
Gujarat Giants Squad: Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney (wk), Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Simran Shaikh, Meghna Singh, Sayali Satghare, Tanuja Kanwar, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam, Mannat Kashyap, Shabnam Md Shakil, Prakashika Naik, Bharti Fulmali, Phoebe Litchfield, Danielle Gibson.
Can the defending champions make a winning start to the new campaign? Or will their opponents spring an early surprise in WPL 2025?
WPL 2025: Defending champions look to fight through challenges
The Gujarat Giants have upgraded their squad in certain ways. The change of support staff means that Deandra Dottin returns to the franchise she once exited in controversial circumstances, adding some much-needed firepower and all-round ability to the middle order.
Ashleigh Gardner has been announced as the captain. She should still have considerable support from her compatriot and predecessor Beth Mooney, who is the only recognized keeper in the squad and is therefore likely to be a fixture in the starting XI.
However, many of the same issues remain for GG. They are clearly short in the pace department, and while Gardner and Tanuja Kanwer form an encouraging spin tandem that can bowl at all stages of the innings, their weaknesses in bowling could come back to haunt them.
RCB, meanwhile, are dealing with a plethora of injuries. Asha Sobhana and Sophie Devine have been ruled out of WPL 2025, while Shreyanka Patil is reportedly unlikely to feature at the start of the competition. Even Ellyse Perry, who has been a constant in the XI, suffered a hip injury while playing for Australia recently and is locked in a race against time to recover for the opening game.
However, Bengaluru are still better placed than their opponents. Smriti Mandhana was one of the batters to watch out for in WPL 2024 and now has one of her favorite partners in the form of Danni Wyatt-Hodge at the other end. With Perry (if fit) and Richa Ghosh in the middle order, Mandhana and Co. should have enough in the tank to beat GG even without many of their first-choice stars.
At the start of the tournament, though, anything can happen.
Prediction: RCB to win Match 1 of WPL 2025.