Navi Mumbai, Jan 10 (IANS) Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner hailed her team’s composure under pressure after they edged past UP Warriorz by 10 runs in a thrilling, high-scoring Women’s Premier League 2026 encounter at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.

Reflecting on the contest, Gardner said the match was entertaining and highlighted the batting-friendly nature of the surface. She admitted that the Giants were aware early on that a big total was required to stay competitive in a match where 404 runs were scored in just 40 overs.

“It was a fantastic game for everyone who came out to watch, and it showed just how high-scoring this ground can be. By around the 11-over mark, I felt we probably needed close to 200,” Gardner said.

The Giants eventually crossed the 200-run mark, a target Gardner felt became competitive despite the Warriorz mounting a strong chase led by Phoebe Litchfield.

“Phoebe hit the ball beautifully from ball one, and we knew that would be a competitive target,” she added.

Gardner praised her side’s fielding as a decisive factor in the outcome, while acknowledging there were areas to improve with both bat and ball.

“We bowled well in patches, and there are plenty of learnings with both bat and ball, but I thought our fielding was excellent and that might have made the difference in the end. I’m really proud of how we started,” she said.

The Australian all-rounder reserved special praise for debutant Anushka Sharma, with whom she shared a crucial 103-run partnership.

“She’s such a special player. I’d only seen her bat in the nets before, so to spend time out in the middle with her was really pleasing. She keeps the game simple but also opens up different areas of the ground, and for someone so young to be brave enough to do that is impressive,” Gardner noted.

Gardner also credited her bowling unit for handling pressure situations, particularly against Litchfield, whose wicket proved a turning point.

“We were definitely searching for ways to stop her. Georgia bowled really well, and knowing the depth in our bowling attack, I can throw the ball to anyone with confidence. We knew they were never completely out of it, so we had to keep taking wickets, and thankfully we did enough to get the win,” she concluded.

Gardner played an amazing knock of 65 runs in just 41 balls. She started her innings at a measured pace, focusing on building a partnership with Anushka. The skipper then changed gears in the 13th over by striking three fours off four balls from Kranti Gaud. The 28-year-old then smashed four sixes and one boundary in her next eight balls to complete her first fifty of the season in 31 deliveries.

–IANS

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