Anushka struck 44 off 30 balls in her first WPL outing, as she and captain Ashleigh Gardner, who scored a commanding 65, to power GG to 207\/4 - their highest total in the competition. In reply, UPW made 197\/8, despite Phoebe Litchfield\u2019s counterattacking 78, as GG bowlers Georgia, Sophie and Renuka Singh Thakur claimed two wickets apiece.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cShe\u2019s going to be playing for India. She\u2019s a fantastic cricketer. She has time at the crease and times the ball beautifully. She can score both along the ground and over the field, and she bowls very well too. We\u2019re really happy to have her.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cShe trains hard and is great around the group. she's going to have to play some good cricket for a couple of years first, but from what I\u2019ve seen in a short time, she has a long career ahead of her,\u201d said Klinger in the post-match press conference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
GG had begun previous WPL seasons with a defeat and to change the script this time around left Klinger pleased. \u201cIt\u2019s great to win a close one. Over the last couple of years that I\u2019ve been involved with the team, there have been occasions when we\u2019ve scored 190 or 200-plus and just missed out.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cFor the players to hold their nerve in the final few overs, especially with high-quality players like Phoebe and Dottin coming at us, was fantastic. There are no concerns around our bowling. Our batters set it up and our bowlers followed through.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn grounds and competitions like these, with such high-quality players, you\u2019re going to concede the odd four or six. It\u2019s about how you respond, and I thought our bowlers did really well. Even the small moments made a difference. Sophie Devine went for a few runs but picked up the crucial wicket of Phoebe, which helped us win the game. Little things like that add up, and the group did a very good job,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Asked about Sophie\u2019s importance in the set-up, Klinger explained, \u201cShe brings everything, to be honest. Across all three facets of the game, she is a leader for us, whether it\u2019s batting at the top or bowling crucial overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cShe has captaincy experience, which is valuable for Ash on the field when sharing ideas, especially in tight moments like tonight. She\u2019s also great around the group and connects well with our young Indian players.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Asked about Sophie\u2019s importance in the set-up, Klinger explained, \u201cShe brings everything, to be honest. Across all three facets of the game, she is a leader for us, whether it\u2019s batting at the top or bowling crucial overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe went into the auction looking for a senior bowler and had the opportunity to bring in Renuka. With Renuka and Kashvee, we have a mix of experience and young talent. Kashvee was sidelined for six months with a knee issue, but she is now fully fit, hungry for success and eager to show what she can do.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n