WPL: Sophie Devine stars! Gujarat Giants crush UP Warriorz by 45 runs

Sophie Devine returned to signifier with a composed unbeaten 50 and a important bowling publication arsenic Gujarat Giants secured a commanding 45-run triumph implicit UP Warriorz successful the Women’s Premier League connected Thursday. After being sent successful to bat, the Giants recovered from aboriginal hiccups to station 153/8, acknowledgment mostly to Devine’s calm innings, which included 3 sixes and 2 fours disconnected 42 balls. Despite being astir tally retired aboriginal and dropped connected 35 disconnected a no-ball, Devine capitalised successful the last over, hitting a mates of sixes disconnected Shikha Pandey to propulsion the full past 150.

The Giants’ bowlers past produced a disciplined show to bundle retired the hosts for 108 successful conscionable 17.3 overs, ending a three-match losing streak.

Veteran left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad led the onslaught with 3/16 successful her comeback match, portion Devine (2/16) and Renuka Singh (2/20) picked up 2 wickets apiece. UP Warriorz struggled from the outset, losing Kiran Navgire for a aureate duck successful the archetypal implicit and seeing skipper Meg Lanning dismissed for 14 aboriginal successful the powerplay. Phoebe Litchfield offered immoderate absorption with 32, but the Giants’ bowlers kept the unit on.

Gayakwad’s trio of speedy wickets reduced UP to 93/7, and Devine wrapped up the tail, dismissing Sophie Ecclestone to permission the hosts astatine 94/8 wrong 16 overs. UPW’s bowlers, led by Kranti Goud’s 2/18, kept Gujarat’s scoring successful cheque done the mediate overs, but Devine’s precocious surge provided a competitory full that proved much than enough. Gujarat’s all-round show propelled them to 2nd spot successful the WPL standings, down Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and ended their three-game slump successful emphatic fashion.