WPL 2024/25, GG-W vs RCB-W 1st Match Match Report, February 14, 2025

Toss Royal Challengers Bengaluru chose to bowl vs Gujarat Giants

Smriti Mandhana called correctly at the toss as Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the defending champions, opted to bowl first against hosts Gujarat Giants in Vadodara. Mandhana was keen to “get in as many overs as possible before the dew kicks in.”

England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who was traded in from UP Warriorz, VJ Joshitha, the seamer who was part of the Under-19 World Cup winning team in Malaysia, batter Raghvi Bisht, and legspinner Prema Rawat were all handed debuts.

Ellyse Perry, who came into the tournament having recently suffered a hip injury, was fit to start for RCB

Ashleigh Gardner, their new captain, also announced debuts for India legspinner Priya Mishra, seamer Kashvee Gautam, batter Simran Shaikh and seamer Sayali Satghare, who only recently made her India debut.

Kashvee and Shaikh are two big-ticket signings for Giants. Picked for INR 2 crore ahead of WPL 2024, Kashvee was ruled out of the season due to an injury. Shaikh comes in with the reputation of being a big hitter lower down the order, and was picked for INR 1.9 crore in December.

This is the first time the WPL will be played in Vadodara, the home ground of Giants. After two last-place finishes, they’ll hope for better things this season having revamped not just their squad but also their coaching set-up.

Gujarat Giants: 1 Laura Wolvaardt, 2 Beth Mooney (wk), 3 Dayalan Hemalatha, 4 Ashleigh Gardner (capt), 5 Deandra Dottin, 6 Harleen Deol, 7 Simran Shaikh, 8 Tanuja Kanwar, 9 Sayali Satghare, 10 Priya Mishra, 11 Kashvee Gautam.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Raghvi Bist, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Kanika Ahuja, 7 Georgia Wareham, 8 Kim Garth, 9 Prema Rawat, 10 VJ Joshitha, 11 Renuka Singh.