Vadodara, Jan 19 (NationPress) Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner expressed her disappointment following a 61-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), highlighting that dropped catches and missed opportunities were pivotal in the outcome. She emphasized the urgent need for the team to rebound quickly and secure victories in their upcoming two matches despite rising frustrations.

RCB achieved their sixth consecutive win in WPL history, thanks to Sayali Satghare's remarkable three-wicket haul and a stellar batting performance by Gautami Naik, who scored 73 runs. This win secured them a spot in the playoffs for the 2026 season.

"It’s really frustrating. I can’t lie about that. When you drop catches, it allows the opposing team to build their score. Those tiny moments are not going our way right now. We need to win our last two matches. Although it’s frustrating, we must keep fighting and keep the stumps in play. If you look at our wickets, we were trying to play across the line when we should have focused on keeping the stumps in play. There are many lessons to learn, which is a positive aspect, but standing here after a loss feels terrible," Gardner stated in the post-match interview.

RCB, batting first, had a rocky start. In the opening over, Renuka Singh Thakur took the wicket of Grace Harris for just 1 run, followed by Kashvee Gautam removing Georgia Voll in the next over, putting RCB in a challenging position early on. Skipper Smriti Mandhana partnered with Gautami Naik to stabilize the innings, leading RCB to a score of 37/2 by the end of the powerplay.

Gardner admitted that Naik’s outstanding innings caught her off guard but stressed the importance of acknowledging the depth of talent in Indian domestic cricket, noting the need to respect all top-order players equally.

"We are aware of the talent present in Indian domestic cricket. In our previous match, Radha scored runs. As bowlers, and as a captain, we must hold ourselves accountable to every player. We need to discuss all the top seven players fairly. That’s what happens when a young player steps up and makes a significant impact," Gardner remarked.

Gardner finally achieved a breakthrough in the 10th over by trapping Mandhana for 26 runs off 23 balls. Naik continued her impressive innings, showing maturity and control, forming a critical 69-run partnership with Richa Ghosh for the fourth wicket. Naik achieved her first WPL half-century off 42 balls and finished with 73 runs from 55 balls. Ghosh contributed a brisk 27 runs off 20 balls, while late hits from Radha Yadav (17 off 8) and Shreyanka Patil (8* off 2) propelled RCB to a formidable total of 178/6.

Discussing her strategy, the Giants' captain noted that the inconsistent bounce of the pitch influenced her game plan, and she regarded herself as a favorable match-up against Smriti Mandhana, attempting to lure her into risky shots.

"We understood the need to take advantage of the wicket. The bounce was not reliable. I believe I match up well against Smriti. I aimed to encourage her to play across the line, being aware of her proficiency in square shots," Gardner explained.