Vadodara, Jan 22 (NationPress) The Gujarat Giants (GG) soared from the bottom of the points standings to claim the second position in the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) after achieving a convincing 45-run victory against the UP Warriorz (UPW) at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on Thursday.

New Zealand’s experienced all-rounder Sophie Devine was the star of the match, scoring an unbeaten fifty off 42 balls, helping GG post 153/8 on a sluggish pitch. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad made a significant impact upon her return to the team with impressive figures of 3-16, while Sophie chipped in with two wickets, as UPW crumbled to 108 all out in just 17.3 overs, breaking their three-match losing streak at home.

The UPW innings began poorly when Kiran Navgire was stumped for a duck off a wide delivery – she attempted to flick a ball from Renuka Singh Thakur which ricocheted off keeper Beth Mooney’s pads and hit the stumps. Despite some early boundaries from Phoebe Litchfield and Meg Lanning, UPW struggled to find rhythm.

With the score at 46/2 at the end of the power-play, UPW faced a series of setbacks. Phoebe was dismissed for 32 while attempting a reverse sweep, and shortly after, Renuka took another wicket as Harleen Deol mistimed a lofted shot, leading to a catch.

Rajeshwari made her mark by trapping Deepti Sharma lbw for just four runs, and UPW's woes continued as she stumped Shweta Sehrawat for three. The onslaught continued as Sophie Ecclestone was dismissed cheaply, and Shikha Pandey was run out in a desperate attempt for a second run. GG dominated the match, with Sophie bowling out Kranti Gaud to finalize the victory.

Earlier, batting at number four, Sophie’s explosive knock included two fours and three sixes, propelling GG past the 150-run mark after a disciplined bowling effort from UPW had threatened to restrict them. In total, UPW’s Sophie Ecclestone and Kranti Gaud claimed two wickets each.

GG commenced their innings with Beth Mooney and Danni Wyatt-Hodge hitting four boundaries before Kranti struck, dismissing Danni. Anushka Sharma made quick runs but was dismissed by Kranti. Beth was on course for her first fifty of the season when Deepti intervened, bowling Ashleigh for just five. Sophie’s vital wicket of Beth for 38 came as a caught dismissal.

Confusion on the field led to Bharti Fulmali being run out, while Kanika Ahuja fell to Chloe Tryon. Sophie’s relentless assault included consecutive sixes off Shikha Pandey, allowing her to reach fifty off 42 balls.

This effort ensured Gujarat crossed the 150-run threshold, as 16 runs came off the final over, effectively securing their position above UPW in the points table.

Brief scores:

Gujarat Giants 153/8 in 20 overs (Sophie Devine 50 not out, Beth Mooney 38; Kranti Gaud 2-18, Sophie Ecclestone 2-22) beat UP Warriorz 108 all out in 17.3 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 32, Chloe Tryon 30 not out; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 3-16, Sophie Devine 2-16) by 45 runs