WPL 2024: 3 landmarks reached during GG's 8-run win vs UPW in Match 18
In the 18th match of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024, the Gujarat Giants (GG) edged past the UP Warriorz (UPW) by eight runs on March 11 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
After opting to bat first, Gujarat were off to a great start once again with their in-form openers adding 60 runs for the opening wicket. However, Laura Wolvaardt's wicket triggered a collapse as GG lost their next seven wickets within 60 more runs.
Skipper Beth Mooney stood till the end and made a superb 74*, guiding GG to 152/8 in their 20 overs.
In reply, UPW were stunned with a resounding opening spell by Shabnam MD Shakil as she took 3/11 to leave the opposition reeling at 35/5. However, Deepti Sharma kept her team in the hunt as she hammered 88* runs off 60 balls.
Poonam Khemnar also remained unbeaten at 36, but UPW never quite matched the asking run rate and eventually fell eight runs short.
This loss has all but put the Warriorz out of the contention for the playoffs, while the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are the heavy favorites to join the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in the knockouts.
On that note, here are three big landmarks that were reached during the recently concluded WPL 2024 match between Gujarat and UP Warriorz.
#3 Highest partnership for 3rd wicket or lower in WPL history
It was always going to be an arduous task for Deepti Sharma and Poonam Khemnar after their side lost five wickets for only 35 runs on the board. Much to their credit, the two kept their team in the game by stitching up an unbeaten partnership of 109 runs in 78 balls.
Deepti and Khemnar added 109 runs for the sixth wicket. Incredibly, their partnership is now the highest stand for third-wicket or lower in WPL history.
Previously, the highest partnership for third-wicket or lower in WPL came between Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt, who added 106* runs for the third wicket against UPW last season.
#2 Highest individual score by a left-hander in WPL history
Deepti Sharma is having a stupendous WPL 2024, where she has mustered 295 runs at an unbelievable average of 98.33 and at a strike rate of 136.57 across eight innings. The current Orange Cap holder hammered nine boundaries and four maximums to get to 88* off 60 balls.
Her 88-run knock is now the highest individual score by a left-handed batter in WPL history. She has surpassed Beth Mooney's record. The Gujarat Giants skipper made 85* off 51 balls earlier this season against RCB.
Apart from this, Deepti's fabulous innings is now also the second-highest individual score by any Indian batter in WPL history after Harmanpreet Kaur's 95* against GG on March 9.
#1 Joint-most dot balls in a WPL innings by a pacer
Despite being just 16 years old, Shabnam MD Shakil won her side a must-win match against UPW on Monday. The right-arm pacer delivered a match-winning bowling spell of 3/11, dismissing Alyssa Healy, Chamari Athapaththu, and Shweta Sehrawat.
Shabnam also bowled 19 dot balls, which is the joint-most by any pace bowler in a WPL innings. She has joined the Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail on the list.
Moreover, Shabnam is now also the youngest player to bag a three-wicket haul in WPL. She is just 16 years and 268 days old, eclipsing Alice Capsey's record, who took 3/26 against UPW as an 18-year-old last season.