WPL 2026: All-round Wareham helps Gujarat end Mumbai hoodoo, march into Eliminator
India Today
Gujarat Giants secured their first-ever victory over Mumbai Indians Women in Women's Premier League history to end their eight-match losing streak against the defending champions and booked their place in the Eliminator fixture.
The idiom “there’s always a first time” rang true for Gujarat Giants, as they could not have picked a better occasion to register their maiden victory over Mumbai Indians Women in the history of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). In a must-win clash to stay alive in the tournament, Gujarat brought their A game to the fore to defeat the defending champions by 11 runs in Match 19 of the WPL 2026 on Friday, January 30, at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara.
Tasked with chasing a target of 168 on a two-paced surface, Mumbai struggled throughout their innings, with no one apart from captain Harmanpreet Kaur (82* off 48) managing to get properly set at the crease. Despite her herculean effort to rescue her side, MI were eventually restricted to 156/7 in their 20 overs, as Sophie Devine (2/23) and Georgia Wareham (2/26) picked up two wickets apiece for Gujarat.
WPL 2026: MI-W vs GG-W Updates
As a result, Gujarat finally brought an end to their prolonged winless run against Mumbai, registering their maiden victory over the two-time champions after losing eight successive matches. Courtesy of this crucial win, they have secured second place on the points table and will next feature in the Eliminator, with a spot in the final at stake.
Earlier in the day, Gujarat Giants endured a shaky start to their innings, losing Beth Mooney (5 off 8) early after she was caught at mid-wicket off Shabnim Ismail. Following the early setback, Anushka Sharma (33 off 31) and Sophie Devine (25 off 21) combined in a 48-run partnership for the second wicket off 43 deliveries to steady the innings.
A memorable victory! @Giant_Cricket clinch a thrilling contest by 11 runs to book their place in the #TATAWPL 2026 playoffsScorecard https://t.co/0ABkT4KS2M #KhelEmotionKa | #GGvMI pic.twitter.com/1yRtDxVoxy— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) January 30, 2026
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