Vadodara: A valiant, unbeaten knock of 82 runs from Harmanpreet Kaur went in vain as the Gujarat Giants (GG) defeated the Mumbai Indians (MI) by 11 runs in a thrilling Women's Premier League (WPL) match at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara on Friday. With this victory, Gujarat Giants became the second team, after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), to qualify for the playoffs of WPL 2026. GG has secured a berth in the Eliminator.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Gujarat Giants faced an early setback with the loss of Beth Mooney. However, Sophie Devine (25) and Anushka Sharma (33) steadied the innings with a 48-run partnership for the second wicket. However, both failed to capitalize on their starts, leaving GG at 71 for three.
Captain Ashleigh Gardner (46) then took charge, forging a crucial 71-run stand with Georgia Wareham (44*). Wareham's unbeaten innings of 44 runs off 26 balls helped GG reach a competitive total of 167 for four in their 20 overs.
In response, the Mumbai Indians adopted a cautious approach, scoring only 23 runs in the first four overs. The pressure to accelerate during the powerplay led to the quick dismissals of openers Hayley Matthews and Sajeevan Sajana. The crucial wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt further pushed MI onto the backfoot, leaving them at 37 for 3.
Despite the setbacks, Harmanpreet Kaur led a spirited fightback, smashing an unbeaten 82 off 48 balls. However, she found little support from the other batters, and MI fell short of the target, finishing at 156 for seven. Kaur admitted that the lack of impactful partnerships and sloppy fielding, which conceded 16-17 extra runs, proved costly.
With this loss, Mumbai Indians' chances of directly qualifying for the eliminator have been jeopardized. Their fate now depends on the outcome of the match between UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals. Only one of these three teams will qualify and face GG in the eliminator on February 3rd. MI's tournament fate is no longer in their control, as they have completed all their league stage games.
Gujarat Giants will now play in the eliminator on Tuesday. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have already qualified for the final.
Harmanpreet Kaur was recently named as a recipient of the Padma Shri. The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the list of awardees on January 25, 2026, following a historic year in which Kaur led India to its maiden ICC Women's ODI World Cup title.
