UPW VS GG MATCH 8

Right then, that is it from this game. UP gets their second win of the season while Gujarat still have to wait to open their account. Next up in the Women's T20 League 2024 is a clash of the rivals. It will be Bangalore taking on Mumbai in an exciting contest on 2nd March, Saturday. The first ball will be bowled at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Grace Harris is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for her brilliant knock and she is also the current top-scorer in the season. She says that she takes one ball at a time. Adds that she tries not to get frustrated and as she gets older, she controls her emotions better. Tells that she is enjoying playing for UP and embracing her role as a finisher. Mentions that she bowled too many slot balls in this game but in general she feels good while bowling and hopes to do better in the next game. Says that she and Deepti complement each other well and the left-right hand combination works for them and they will look to win a few more games together.

Alyssa Healy, the victorious skipper of UP says that Grace Harris is making cricket look so easy right now. She adds that the score was something that could have been chased down on this surface and she is glad that they were able to do it. She further says that the side is very well balanced and there are very good options on the bench as well. With two wins in two matches, they now prepare to take on Bangalore Women in their home ground in the next game and they are very confident walking into the next game.

Beth Mooney, the captain of Gujarat says that Phoebe Litchfield and Ashleigh Gardner had a good partnership that got them to a decent total but they didn't bowl well in the second innings to stop the opposition. She further adds that it's the responsibility of the set batter at the top who is getting in and getting those 30 runs to convert it into a 60 or 70 and hold the innings from one end. She ends by saying that it was a good game and they will bounce back well for sure.

Presentation Time...

Chamari Athapaththu is up for a quick chat. She says that she is very glad to join the team here and is looking to do good in the tournament ahead. She adds by saying that the wicket played really well and she was having fun with the bat in the middle till the time she was there. When asked about Grace, she says that it's always a pleasure watching her play her shots and she has done that time and again for the team.

Earlier in the game, Gujarat posted a fighting total on the board courtesy of a decent knock from Phoebe Litchfield and a quick-fire cameo from Ashleigh Gardner towards the end. Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers for UP picking up 3 wickets while Rajeshwari Gayakwad chipped in with one. While chasing, UP got off to a strong start with the openers but they went back in quick succession. It was Grace Harris who played a match-winning knock and bagged all the two points for her team.

Gujarat, on the other hand, would be disappointed with their bowling effort. Tanuja Kanwar did manage to get rid of the dangerous, Kiran Navgire early on but they could not stop Alyssa Healy from hitting the boundaries in the Powerplay which put them on the back foot. However, Kathryn Bryce got her wicket and Kanwar sent Chamari Athapaththu back, but they could not build on that as Grace Harris proved to be a tough nut to crack and took the game away from them completely. There were some positives for them with Sneh Rana bowling economically, but they just need to perform collectively to get the desired results in the tournament.

UP were hoping that Kiran Navgire would give them another blistering start, but this time it was their skipper Alyssa Healy who took charge and showed aggressive intent from the start to effectively use the Powerplay. Navgire hit a few lusty blows but was dismissed quickly and the captain followed suit after smacking 33 off just 21 balls. You would think that things would slow down, but Grace Harris had other ideas and started to counter-attack and steadied things along with Chamari Athapaththu. However, just as when the Sri Lankan started to get going, she holed out. Harris though, continued in her own way and notched up her third half-century against Gujarat and stayed unbeaten on 60 off just 33 balls. Deepti Sharma once again supported her well in the chase and played a good hand sealing a comprehensive win.

UP makes it two wins in a row! A clinical performance from them and it is that pair of Grace Harris and Deepti Sharma again that has finished the job for them. Their bowlers did an amazing job led by Sophie Ecclestone in the first innings to restrict their opponents and the batters have chased this down with 26 balls spare. Gujarat will once again have to leave empty-handed as they suffer their third defeat and they will need to come back stronger in the next one to keep their hopes alive in this season.

Grace Harris ticks off the last run required as she drills this full delivery to long on. UP Women win the game convincingly in the 16th over of the innings!

FOUR! Too short outside off and Grace Harris crunches it off the back foot! Short and wide again from Sneh Rana and Grace Harris gets deep inside the crease and cuts the ball to the left of point and finds herself another brilliant boundary. SCORES LEVEL!

Short and wide, cut away towards sweepers for a single.

Just short outside the off stump line. Deepti Sharma taps it to short third man and is denied the single from her partner.

Fuller on the off stump line. Grace Harris drives the ball to long off for a single and the batters run the second off the over throw.

FOUR! Brings up a brilliant FIFTY from Grace Harris! What an innings and what a way to get to it. Meghna Singh hits the good length outside the off stump line and Grace Harris plays the paddle scoop over the head of the shortfine leg and the ball races away to the fine leg fence. Grace Harris raises her bat with joy!

Pitches the ball up on the pads. Deepti Sharma flicks the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.