TATA WPL 2026: Gujarat Giants Win 404-Run Thriller vs UPW

By: WE Staff | Sunday, 11 January 2026

• Gujarat Giants posted a massive 207/4, winning a 404-run thriller by 10 runs
• Ashleigh Gardner led from the front with a composed yet explosive 65
• Georgia Wareham starred with an all-round show, earning Player of the Match

Gujarat Giants began their TATA Women’s Premier League 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, edging past UP Warriorz by 10 runs in a run-fest under the Navi Mumbai sun. Playing the first afternoon fixture of the season, GG produced a dominant batting display to post a formidable 207/4, a total that ultimately proved just enough in a match that saw 404 runs scored.

Asked to bat first, the Giants made full use of the conditions. Sophie Devine’s brisk start provided early momentum before UPW briefly pulled things back with wickets in the powerplay. What followed, however, was a commanding partnership that shaped the game. Captain Ashleigh Gardner anchored the innings with authority, mixing composure with power to bring up a fluent half-century. She found ideal support in debutant Anushka Sharma, whose confident strokeplay ensured the scoring rate never dipped. Their century stand laid a solid platform, which Georgia Wareham and Bharti Fulmali then exploited brilliantly at the death, smashing a flurry of sixes to push GG past the 200-mark. Wareham’s all-round contribution later earned her the Player of the Match award.

In response, UP Warriorz were rocked early by Renuka Singh’s opening-over strike but recovered through a steady stand between Meg Lanning and Phoebe Litchfield. Just as UPW threatened to seize control, GG struck back with a burst of wickets, triggering a dramatic momentum shift. Litchfield, though, kept the chase alive with an elegant and aggressive knock, reaching a rapid fifty and finishing with a superb 78.

Despite late resistance from Asha Sobhana, regular breakthroughs in the slog overs ensured Gujarat Giants held their nerve, restricting UPW to 197/8 and sealing a thrilling opening victory.