Gujarat Giants Women have experienced a fascinating journey through the first four seasons of the Women’s Premier League. The franchise has not yet reached a WPL final, but it has produced several memorable individual performances, high-scoring matches, dramatic victories and important milestones since the competition began in 2023. Their biggest moments have often reflected the team’s ability to compete through powerful batting, quality all-rounders and spirited bowling displays.
The Giants’ progress became particularly noticeable during the 2025 and 2026 seasons. After finishing fifth in the first two editions, Gujarat reached the Eliminator in both 2025 and 2026. The 2026 campaign produced some of the most significant performances in the franchise’s history, including a first-ever victory over Mumbai Indians and major contributions from Sophie Devine, Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney and Georgia Wareham.
The team’s journey has therefore been about more than results. It has included the development of new Indian talent, the emergence of international match-winners and a gradual improvement in Gujarat’s ability to compete against established WPL sides.
Read More-Gujarat Giants Women’s Most Important WPL Players
A Difficult Start in the WPL
Gujarat Giants were one of the five original teams in the WPL when the tournament began in 2023. Their first two seasons were challenging, as the franchise finished fifth in both 2023 and 2024.
Those early campaigns nevertheless provided important experience. The Giants had to build a squad capable of competing against teams containing established international players and some of India’s leading cricketers.
Players such as Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner became important parts of the team’s identity. Over time, Gujarat also began giving greater opportunities to younger Indian players.
That combination eventually produced a noticeable improvement in 2025.
Ashleigh Gardner’s Explosive 79 in 2025
One of Gujarat Giants’ most memorable batting performances came in the opening match of WPL 2025 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Ashleigh Gardner, newly appointed Gujarat captain, produced an outstanding innings of 79 from only 37 balls. She struck eight sixes and attacked the RCB bowling throughout the latter stages of the innings.
Beth Mooney provided the foundation with 56 from 42 deliveries, allowing Gardner to attack with greater freedom. The pair helped Gujarat reach 201/5, giving the team one of the highest totals in WPL history at that point.
Gardner’s performance was significant for another reason. She was not only Gujarat’s captain but also demonstrated how effectively she could influence a match with aggressive batting.
The Giants ultimately lost the match after RCB completed a record chase, but Gujarat’s 201 demonstrated the batting potential within the squad.
Beth Mooney’s Consistent Contributions
While some of Gujarat’s biggest moments have come through explosive innings, Beth Mooney has often provided the stability required to create those opportunities.
Mooney’s role has been particularly important because she can control the tempo of an innings. Rather than relying exclusively on boundary hitting, she rotates the strike and builds partnerships before accelerating.
Her 56 against RCB in 2025 was an excellent example. She combined with Gardner to create the platform from which Gujarat eventually reached 201.
Mooney’s importance became even clearer in 2026, when she continued to provide stability during difficult batting situations.
Sophie Devine’s 95 Against Delhi Capitals
One of the most memorable individual performances in Gujarat Giants history arrived very early in the 2026 season.
Gujarat faced Delhi Capitals in their second match and produced a thrilling four-run victory. The Giants posted 209 all out, with Sophie Devine delivering an extraordinary innings of 95 from 42 balls.
Devine’s attacking batting pushed Gujarat toward a huge total and gave the team the opportunity to defend against a strong Delhi batting lineup.
The match was particularly important because it demonstrated the value of Gujarat’s new-look international combination.
Devine was capable of changing a match rapidly with the bat, while also providing bowling options. Her arrival gave the Giants another player who could influence multiple phases of a game.
The 209-Run Team Total
Devine’s 95 was the headline performance, but Gujarat’s 209 was equally significant.
Reaching 200-plus totals in women’s T20 cricket requires contributions from several players. The Giants’ innings against Delhi showed that the team could sustain an aggressive scoring rate rather than relying on one individual.
The four-run victory also showed the other side of high-scoring cricket. Delhi came close to the target, meaning Gujarat needed composure during the closing stages.
Winning such a tight contest provided the Giants with valuable confidence early in their 2026 campaign.
Gujarat’s First Victory Over Mumbai Indians
Perhaps the most important team performance in Gujarat Giants’ WPL history came against Mumbai Indians in 2026.
Before that match, Gujarat had lost all eight of their previous meetings against Mumbai. The Giants finally ended that sequence with an 11-run victory, defeating the defending champions and securing their place in the Eliminator.
The victory was significant because it combined strong batting with disciplined bowling.
Gujarat posted 167/4 after being sent in to bat. Ashleigh Gardner produced a counter-attacking 46 from 28 balls, while Georgia Wareham remained unbeaten on 44 from 26 deliveries.
Their fourth-wicket partnership produced 71 runs and transformed Gujarat’s innings after a slower middle period.
Georgia Wareham’s All-Round Performance
Georgia Wareham played a central role in that historic victory.
After scoring 44 not out from 26 balls, she returned with the ball and took 2/26.
Her contribution demonstrated the value of having players who can influence a match in both disciplines.
Gujarat needed to defend 168 against Mumbai, and Wareham’s bowling helped prevent the chase from gaining enough momentum.
Harmanpreet Kaur produced a brilliant unbeaten 82 for Mumbai, but Gujarat’s bowlers held their nerve and restricted the two-time champions to 156/7. Wareham was named Player of the Match.
For Gujarat, the victory was more than another league win. It broke a long-standing head-to-head sequence and confirmed their qualification for the Eliminator.
Ashleigh Gardner’s Leadership Moment
Gardner’s contribution against Mumbai was another important chapter in her Gujarat Giants story.
Her 46 from 28 balls came at a stage when Gujarat needed acceleration. Rather than allowing the innings to slow down, she attacked the bowling and created the platform for Wareham’s late contribution.
Her leadership was also visible during the defence.
Mumbai’s chase remained alive because of Harmanpreet’s exceptional batting, but Gujarat kept finding important wickets and controlled the final over effectively.
The result demonstrated how Gardner could contribute as both captain and all-rounder.
Sophie Devine’s Four-Wicket Haul Against Delhi
Gujarat’s 2026 campaign also produced a major bowling performance against Delhi Capitals.
In Match 17, Gujarat posted 174/9, with Beth Mooney making 58 from 46 balls and Anushka Sharma contributing 39 from 25.
Delhi appeared to have a strong chance during the chase, especially after Niki Prasad and Sneh Rana launched a late counterattack.
Then Sophie Devine produced the decisive spell.
She finished with 4/37 and was trusted with the final over. With Delhi requiring nine runs from the last six deliveries, Devine dismissed both set batters and conceded only five runs.
Gujarat won by three runs.
The performance demonstrated Devine’s ability to change a match even when the opposition appeared to be closing in.
Sophie Devine’s 17-Wicket Season
Devine’s overall 2026 contribution extended far beyond individual matches.
She finished the tournament with 17 wickets and was awarded the Purple Cap. She was also named the Most Valuable Player of the season.
Those numbers underline the scale of her contribution.
For Gujarat, Devine provided both power-hitting and wicket-taking ability. Her performances also gave the team greater flexibility because she could be used at different stages of a match.
Her 2026 campaign became one of the strongest individual seasons in Gujarat Giants history.
Anushka Sharma’s Emergence
Gujarat’s biggest performances have not all come from established international stars.
Anushka Sharma provided one of the team’s most encouraging breakthroughs during the 2026 season. She had already made an impact during the previous campaign, scoring 44 on debut against UP Warriorz in 2025. That innings was reported as the highest score by a Gujarat player on WPL debut at the time.
In 2026, she continued receiving opportunities and contributed important innings, including 39 from 25 balls against Delhi.
Her progress represents an important part of Gujarat’s long-term strategy. A successful franchise needs domestic players who can eventually take on bigger roles alongside international stars.
The 2025 Batting Explosion
Another major Gujarat performance from 2025 came in their opening match against RCB.
Gardner’s 79 and Mooney’s 56 helped Gujarat reach 201/5. The Giants scored 53 runs during the final four overs, demonstrating their ability to accelerate dramatically at the end of an innings.
Although RCB eventually chased the target with nine balls remaining, the match demonstrated that Gujarat possessed enough batting firepower to challenge the league’s strongest teams.
The performance also showed how Gardner and Mooney could complement each other.
Mooney provided controlled accumulation, while Gardner supplied explosive finishing power.
The Giants’ Improving All-Round Depth
One of the clearest developments in Gujarat’s WPL journey has been the growing importance of all-rounders.
Gardner, Devine and Wareham can contribute with both bat and ball. This gives the captain more options when building a playing XI and managing difficult match situations.
A team with several multi-skilled players can adjust more easily when conditions change or injuries affect the squad.
Gujarat’s 2026 victories over Delhi and Mumbai illustrated this advantage. Different players stepped forward in different matches, rather than the team depending on a single match-winner every time.
The Bowling Performances Behind the Big Wins
Gujarat’s memorable results have often involved more than batting.
The victory over Mumbai required the bowlers to defend 167. Devine and Wareham played major roles, while the rest of the attack maintained pressure during the final overs.
Against Delhi, Rajeshwari Gayakwad contributed 3/20 in the dramatic three-run victory, while Devine took four wickets.
These performances indicate that Gujarat’s progress has involved improvements in both disciplines.
The team is gradually developing the ability to win high-scoring games as well as tighter contests.
Gujarat’s Playoff Progress
The Giants’ biggest performances should also be understood within their broader WPL development.
After finishing fifth in their first two seasons, Gujarat reached the Eliminator in 2025 and repeated that achievement in 2026.
The 2026 qualification was secured after defeating Mumbai for the first time. The team entered the Eliminator against Delhi with confidence generated by several strong league performances.
Although Delhi eventually won the Eliminator by seven wickets, Gujarat’s appearance represented another step forward.
The result meant that Gujarat had reached the playoffs in consecutive seasons.
The 2026 Eliminator: Mooney’s Fighting 62
Gujarat’s final major performance of the 2026 campaign came in the Eliminator.
The Giants lost early wickets against Delhi and found themselves under considerable pressure at 59/4.
Beth Mooney responded with a composed unbeaten 62 from 51 balls.
She received support from Georgia Wareham, who scored 35 from 25 balls, while Kashvee Gautam added a late 18.
Gujarat eventually reached 168/7. Delhi chased the target with 26 balls remaining, so the Giants’ campaign ended at the Eliminator stage.
Mooney’s innings was nevertheless another example of her importance to the team’s batting structure.
The Importance of Close Matches
Several of Gujarat’s most memorable performances have been decided by narrow margins.
Their four-run victory over Delhi in 2026 came down to the final over.
Their three-run victory over Delhi later in the season was another last-over contest.
The 11-run victory over Mumbai was also competitive until the closing stages.
These matches have provided Gujarat with experience in handling pressure.
For a developing franchise, those situations can be as valuable as dominant victories because they reveal how players respond when a match is decided by a handful of deliveries.
A Team Becoming More Competitive
Gujarat Giants’ biggest WPL performances demonstrate a gradual transformation.
The early seasons were difficult, but the franchise has increasingly produced high-quality individual performances and competitive team results.
Gardner’s 79, Devine’s 95, Wareham’s all-round display against Mumbai, Devine’s four-wicket haul against Delhi and Mooney’s 62 in the Eliminator all represent different aspects of the team’s development.
Some performances have been explosive. Others have been based on patience and control.
Together, they show a squad becoming more versatile.
Looking Ahead
The Giants’ next objective will be to turn memorable performances into deeper playoff runs.
The team has now experienced consecutive Eliminator appearances and has defeated established sides during the league stage.
The next step will involve maintaining consistency across an entire tournament and finding ways to perform under even greater knockout pressure.
The presence of experienced international players provides a foundation, while the development of Indian talent can give the franchise greater depth in future seasons.
Conclusion
Gujarat Giants Women’s WPL history has already produced several performances worth remembering. From Ashleigh Gardner’s explosive 79 against RCB in 2025 to Sophie Devine’s extraordinary 95 against Delhi in 2026, the franchise has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to produce major batting displays.
The 2026 season added several particularly important moments. Gujarat defeated Mumbai Indians for the first time after eight previous losses, with Gardner and Georgia Wareham producing decisive contributions. Devine later delivered a four-wicket performance against Delhi, while her 17-wicket season earned her the Purple Cap and Most Valuable Player award.
The Giants also continued developing young Indian players, with Anushka Sharma emerging as one of the promising contributors in their squad.
Although Gujarat’s 2026 campaign ended in the Eliminator against Delhi, their consecutive playoff appearances represent progress from their difficult first two seasons.
Their biggest performances therefore tell a broader story: Gujarat Giants are gradually developing from a rebuilding franchise into a more competitive WPL team. The combination of experienced international stars, emerging Indian players, all-round depth and greater confidence in pressure situations gives the Giants an expanding collection of memorable WPL moments.
