The UP Warriorz Women are set to take on the Gujarat Giants Women in the second match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
With changes in squads and leadership on both sides, the match promises an exciting start as both teams look to begin their campaigns on a positive note.
The Gujarat Giants Women had a fairly solid outing last season, finishing in the Eliminators before suffering a 45-run defeat against Mumbai Indians Women in a high-scoring encounter. Despite their tendency to falter under pressure in previous editions, the Giants are determined to make a fresh start this season with title ambitions. Ashleigh Gardner continues as captain and remains the team’s key all-rounder, contributing significantly with both bat and ball. The UP Warriorz Women, on the other hand, are entering the season with renewed optimism after three underwhelming campaigns. A major highlight is the appointment of Meg Lanning as captain, replacing Alyssa Healy, along with a revamped squad and management.
When and where to watch
The match is scheduled for Saturday, January 10, at 3:30 PM IST and will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network, with live streaming available on JioHotstar.
Pitch report
The pitch at DY Patil Sports Academy is known for being balanced, offering assistance to both batters and bowlers. Seamers may find early movement, while spinners could play a key role during the middle overs. A competitive total on this surface is expected to be around 160-165 runs.
Weather forecast
Weather conditions are likely to be clear and humid, with no rain forecast. Temperatures are expected to hover around 31°C, making it a warm afternoon contest.
Head-to-Head records
The head-to-head record between the two teams stands evenly balanced at three wins apiece from six matches. Toss statistics at the venue suggest a strong advantage for teams bowling first, with chasing sides winning the majority of games.
Key players to watch include Beth Mooney for Gujarat Giants, coming off a prolific WBBL season, and Meg Lanning for UP Warriorz, who also enjoyed a stellar run recently. While both teams appear evenly matched, Gujarat Giants Women enter the contest as slight favorites, having won their last three encounters against UP Warriorz Women.
Probable playing XI
Gujarat Giants
Beth Mooney (wk), Sophie Devine, Yastika Bhatia, Kashvee Gautam, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Bharti Fulmali, Tanuja Kanwar, Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Titas Sadhu, Renuka Singh.
UP Warriorz
Harleen Deol, Partika Rawal (wk), Meg Lanning (c), Phoebe Litchfield, Deandra Dottin, Kiran Navgire, Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, Shweta Sehrawat, Asha Sobhana/Kranti Gaud, Shikha Pandey.
Excitement builds as cricket fans eagerly look forward to the match. (With inputs from Agencies)