WPL 2026: Harmanpreet Kaur’s fifty in vain as Gujarat Giants seal eliminator berth after 11-run win over Mumbai Indians

Captain Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham played great with both bat and ball to help the Gujarat Giants finally beat the defending champions, Mumbai Indians. By winning by 11 runs on Friday, Gujarat secured a place in the next round of the Women’s Premier League. Gardner hit a quick 46 runs and Wareham added 44, working together to save their team after a slow start and reaching a total of 167.

How was the chase?

Chasing 168 was hard on a difficult pitch and Mumbai only managed 156. Even though their captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, fought hard with a high score of 82, it wasn’t enough. This was Gujarat’s very first win against Mumbai after losing eight times in a row, and the timing was perfect to keep them in the tournament. Mumbai now has to wait until Sunday to see if they move on; they need Delhi Capitals to beat UP Warriorz. While UP Warriorz still has a tiny chance, they would need a huge win to stay alive. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have already earned a spot in the final.

How did the innings start for the Mumbai Indians?

Mumbai’s innings started badly when they lost two early wickets to Sophie Devine. Although Sajeevan Sajana tried to score fast, she was soon out. Georgia Wareham then made things even harder for Mumbai by taking two important wickets, while Gardner also helped by getting a player out. Even though Harmanpreet hit some big sixes at the very end, the target was too far away.

How did Gujarat bat?

Earlier, when Gujarat was batting, they struggled for a bit after losing their openers. However, Gardner changed the game in the 16th over by hitting several boundaries in a row. She scored heavily against the bowlers until she was finally tricked by a spin delivery and stumped. Thanks to her aggressive hitting and Wareham’s help, Gujarat scored 61 runs in the final few overs to set a winning target.