The third edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) kicks off today, with five teams vying for the ultimate glory. The opening match of the TATA WPL 2025 will be played between Gujarat Giants Women (GJ-W) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (BLR-W) on February 14 in Vadodara.
This marks the first-ever WPL match to be held at the Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. The defending champions, RCB Women, will be eager to begin their title defense with a victory, while Gujarat Giants Women, led by their new captain Beth Mooney, will look to make a strong start to their campaign.
GJ-W vs BLR-W: Match Details
Match: Gujarat Giants Women (GJ-W) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (BLR-W), Match 1, TATA WPL 2025
Match Date: February 14, 2024 (Friday)
Time: 7:30 P.M. IST (Local Time)
Venue: Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara
GJ-W vs BLR-W: Head-to-Head
The two teams have faced each other in four matches so far, with both sides winning two games each, making the head-to-head record perfectly even.
GJ-W vs BLR-W: Weather Report
The weather in Vadodara on Friday evening is forecasted to be humid. The temperature is expected to reach a high of 27°C, accompanied by 36% humidity. This combination will likely make the evening feel warm and a bit sticky, so it’s advisable to stay hydrated and wear light, comfortable clothing.
GJ-W vs BLR-W: Pitch Report
The Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara is expected to offer a good batting surface. In the recent ODIs between India Women and West Indies Women, the pitch proved to be a run-friendly track. The pitch is expected to be flat, offering minimal assistance to the bowlers, except for the initial swing with the new ball. As the match progresses, the conditions could become more challenging for the bowlers, especially in the second innings, with dew likely to have an impact.
This could affect the grip and movement of the ball, making it harder for the bowlers to maintain control. Batting teams will look to capitalize on these conditions, while bowlers will need to adjust their strategies to counter the dew factor and limited assistance from the pitch.
GJ-W vs BLR-W: Predicted XIs:
Gujarat Giants Women: Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney (c & wk), Simran Shaikh, Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner, Meghna Singh, Tanuja Kanwar, Sayali Satghare, Priya Mishra
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women: Smriti Mandhana (c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Sabbhineni Meghana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh (wk), Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Shreyanka Patil, Ekta Bisht Asha Sobhana, Renuka Thakur Singh
Suggested Dream11 Fantasy Team No. 1 GJ-W vs BLR-W Dream11:
Wicket-keepers: Beth Mooney, Richa Ghosh
Batters: Laura Wolvaardt, Smirti Mandhana
All-rounders: Ashleigh Gardner, Deandra Dottin, Ellyse Perry, George Wareham
Bowlers: Shreyanka Patil, Meghna Singh, Renuka Thakur Singh
Captain First-Choice: Smirti Mandhana || Captain Second-Choice: George Wareham
Vice-Captain First-Choice: Beth Mooney || Vice-captain Second-Choice: Deandra Dottin
Suggested Dream11 Fantasy Team No. 2 GJ-W vs BLR-W Dream11:
Wicket-keepers: Beth Mooney, Richa Ghosh
Batters: Laura Wolvaardt, Smirti Mandhana
All-rounders: Ashleigh Gardner, Deandra Dottin, Ellyse Perry, George Wareham
Bowlers: Shreyanka Patil, Meghna Singh, Renuka Thakur Singh
Captain First-Choice: Ellyse Perry || Captain Second-Choice: Laura Wolvaardt
Vice-Captain First-Choice: Ashleigh Gardner || Vice-captain Second-Choice: Richa Ghosh
GJ-W vs BLR-W: Dream11 Prediction – Who Will Win?
Both teams appear strong on paper and will be eager to secure points in their opening game. However, after analyzing the combination of both sides, Royal Challengers Bangalore Women seem to have a more balanced lineup. Therefore, we predict RCB W to come out on top in this clash.