a misfield on the fence, and the Gujarat Giants have risen from their ruins! From being bottom of the pile in 2023 and in 2024, they are now within touching distance of the playoffs! And by doing so, they have crashed the Capital's party and may have consigned them to a spot in the Eliminator! This is zipped in full on the stumps. Gautam powers it down to long on, where Sutherland, of all people, fumbles. Deol is quick to spot it and charges back for the second. Smiles, handshakes and shrieks of delight in the GG dugout. They had a mountain to climb before the second innings, and they have scaled that peak with room to spare in the end. Spare a thought for the Capitals as well. They seemed to be in control until, suddenly, they weren't and they now have to endure a nervous wait to see if they have gone through to the final for the third season running or if they will have to win two in a row to claim the ultimate prize!
DC Women vs GG Women, 17th Match at Lucknow, WPL, Mar 07 2025 - Ball by Ball Commentary
GG Women won by 5 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)
11:17pm That will be a wrap from us for tonight. We hope you enjoyed our coverage and tomorrow, we will be back with more WPL action as the UP Warriorz look to knock out the defending champions. Until then, this is me (Shashwat) signing off on behalf of Venkat Raghav and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Goodnight and take care!
Harleen Deol, Player of the Match: After winning the game, you feel very pleased after scoring runs for the team. When I was batting, the ball was not coming nicely onto the bat, so was just trying to play till the end. I knew we had batters to come, and they did what they had to do at that time. (Partnership and running between the wickets with Mooney) When you are batting with her, you just have to hit it and run. She closes her eyes and sprints for the run, so it is easier with her. When she hits boundaries, she also gets singles, so you keep getting the strike (smiles). When Kashvee came in, I knew she is good at hitting sixes. I told her that Shikha di would bowl at the stumps and that the ball was keeping low, so to just close her eyes and hit straight, and she will hit a six. When you are scoring runs and the team is winning, that is what you dream as a player. Just want to contribute to the team, whether it be while batting, bowling or fielding.
Ashleigh Gardner, Gujarat Giants captain: Delhi were probably on for 200 after the powerplay, did a good job to peg them back. 180 we felt was probably a par score. Felt that if we gave ourselves a chance, built partnerships, we had a chance (to chase it down). Different people stood up today. Meghna for example. She has not had the overs she would have wanted. So pleased for her, she has put in a lot of hard work and to see that happen in the field, that is pleasing to see. TK (Tanuja Kanwar) also, does not let them (the batters) score easily, and Deandra as well. There are still things to work on. (On not bowling herself at the death) I don't think off-spin was the right match-up to the righties. Tonight, people stood up at different points and those bowling at the death did a good job, so I was not needed. (On Deol) She has played some different roles throughout the tournament and she has adapted, which is nice to see. She struck the ball beautifully, hit to different areas and to see her take the bowlers on and play positive cricket was awesome to see.
11:01pm This result means that the UP Warriorz are now out of contention. It also puts the defending champions RCB in a tough spot, who now need to win both of their remaining games and need to overhaul the Giants or the Mumbai Indians on NRR.
Meg Lanning, Delhi Capitals captain: That is how this tournament goes. We knew it was going to be a difficult game. Full credit to Gujarat, they put us under pressure and were too good in the end. We lost wickets throughout the innings and that stalled us. We felt it was going to get better and we felt we were 15-20 short (of where we wanted to be). It was nice to contribute tonight, but would have loved to get the win. Some really good stuff (from the team) and we now look forward to the playoffs. It is going to play a really crucial part in the tournament. The effort was there tonight. Just about doing the basics as often as you can. We have a few days to reset and see how the rest of the tournament unfolds, which looks like it will be exciting. No, not at all. We have to play two great games, that is what we are looking forward to. About putting our best foot forward. Exciting competition that is still pretty open and we will see who we come up against.
Deandra Dottin: I was really confident. Once I stepped out on the field, I knew the pressure was on DC. Just a matter of taking advantage of being on top and knowing what they were actually going to bowl. I knew Jess was going to slow down her pace and Shikha was going to bowl cross-seam. I played a bit too early but I would have gone for it (the shot that got her out) again. We have played superb. The girls are training hard and are hungry. We continue to play fearless cricket and just be confident and positive.
10:55pm Wow. A proper rollercoaster of a game. Until the very end, it was tough to pinpoint who would triumph, but when push came to shove, the Giants just had enough firepower to blow the Capitals out of the water. They won by five wickets and throughout their chase, their batting riches came through, which could yet be crucial as they prepare for potentially their maiden playoff appearance.
Deol was front and centre of this remarkable run-chase, with Mooney, Gardner and Dottin all doing their bit. Gautam was not shabby either when thrown into the deep end at the death, and these performances will give the Giants confidence that they can take down any opposition in the WPL, even when the stakes are at its crest.
The Capitals, who have already qualified, will feel they missed out on rubber-stamping a spot in the final. They had their moments, especially with six overs left but could not close out the game as clinically as they usually do. Pandey was perhaps the pick of their bowlers, and they will want to use this game as a learning curve for the challenges that lie ahead.
Just two more needed. Jonassen stays over the wicket
slowed up on a full length on off. Deol gets down on one knee and heaves it towards deep mid wicket for a single
serious whippage and Rodrigues cannot do anything about it on the fence! Fired in full on leg stump. Deol waltzes down the track and whips it towards deep mid wicket. Too hot to handle on the fence and the Giants can feel it now!
GG only need seven off the final over and DC can have only three outside the ring because of an over-rate penalty. Jonassen to bowl, from over the wicket and she is on a hat-trick
Kashvee Gautam, take a bow! Over the ropes and this game swings again! Length ball outside off. Gautam sits deep in her crease, winds up and smears it over the wide long on fence. Just over the fence, but that will do for now. That will do superbly!
goes straight up but it lands safe! Zipped in full on the stumps. Deol tries to tonk it into tomorrow and miscues it completely. Miscued so badly that it does not even carry to deep mid wicket
length ball hung up wide outside off, perhaps as a riposte to Deol advancing. She has to reach out for it and can only shank it back to the bowler
hard length just outside off. Skids onto Gautam, who is hurried into the pull. Scuffs it towards long on
Gautam on strike. What does she have up her sleeve
shortish on off. Deol opens up her stance and heaves it on the bounce to deep mid wicket. Just a single
Three dots in a row for the Capitals
hard length, slanting into middle and off. No room to work with and Deol pats it back to the bowler
16 off 12. A lot rests on Deol now. She has to shepherd the Giants past the finish line, alongside Gautam. Pandey to bowl. Keeper up to the stumps
gone first ball! Good lord - what is happening here in Lucknow! Fizzed in full just outside off. Litchfield goes for the glory shot and makes a complete hash of it. Shanks it off the inside half and Shafali does the rest at long on. Litchfield cannot believe what she has done, and the Capitals, with back to back wickets, are right back in the mix!
Litchfield in at 6
in the air, and what a magnificent grab by Rodrigues! Oh my - how many twists and turns does this game have?! Jonassen dares Dottin to go over cow corner again but this time, slows it up just enough to create a miscue. Right off the toe-end and Dottin arrows her slog sweep towards deep mid wicket. Rodrigues rushes in off the fence, lunges forward and snares the chance. The Capitals have a lifeline!
makes zero difference to Deandra Dottin, who is making Lucknow her playground! Floated up on a length wide outside off. Dottin fetches it and blasts it between long on and deep mid wicket!
Dottin is coming after the Capitals. Around the wicket now
the World Boss is her to play! Tossed up on a length on middle and off. Dottin sizes it up, gets down low and clubs it an absolute mile over cow corner!
that is some power! Fired in full on the pads. Dottin gets her front foot out of the way and clobbers it right between deep backward square leg and deep mid wicket!
Over the wicket now
slow and short outside off. Dottin goes deep into her crease and thunders it towards long off. Shafali puts in a dive to her left and saves two
32 off 18. This chase is getting very tasty. Advantage GG at this stage? Jonassen to bowl the 18th
length outside off. Deol clears her front leg and swings for the fences. Drags it enough to deep backward square leg's left and Kapp has to stretch every sinew of her body to rein it in
this is banged in again, finishing just outside off. Dottin takes her eyes off it slightly and hoicks it towards deep mid wicket
banged into the track outside off and Dottin decides very early that she wants to duck under it. Could she have had a go at that?
back of a length outside off. Dottin hangs back and taps it towards extra cover
hard length just outside off. Skids onto Deol and she tugs it towards deep mid wicket
stand and deliver, and Deol wants a piece of the six-hitting action too! In the slot outside off and Deol loves going over mid off. That is exactly what she does and she caresses it over mid off!
The Giants are a run better-off than the Capitals at this stage. 42 off 24. Sutherland to bowl
Over 20 • GG-W 178/5
GG Women won by 5 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)Powered by Smart Stats