Despite posting a competitive 168\/7, rescued by a composed Beth Mooney and a vital middle-overs partnership with Georgia Wareham, Gujarat were quickly put on the back foot by Delhi\u2019s aggressive intent in the powerplay. Lizelle Lee and Shafali Verma capitalised on anything loose, racing away to 75 runs inside the first six overs and effectively setting the tone for the chase.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe felt like that was enough at halfway if we bowled well,\u201d Gardner said after the match. \u201cBut when you don\u2019t start the powerplay, either taking wickets or restricting runs, it brings that team in, and obviously they took the powerplay on. That\u2019s their ammo, and they did that brilliantly today.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gardner pointed to missed execution and an inability to apply sustained pressure as decisive factors, particularly under dew-laden conditions that made control difficult. \u201cOnce the dew sets in, the ball slides on if you miss the stumps,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe just missed the stumps a little bit too much tonight and gave them too many free hits early.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Delhi never relinquished control after the opening stand, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt calmly steering the chase through the middle overs. Though Wareham briefly revived Gujarat\u2019s hopes with two wickets, Gardner conceded her side could not maintain that momentum for long enough.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cGeorgia set the tone with her first over, taking those two crucial wickets,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we just weren\u2019t able to do that for long periods of time, which is obviously really disappointing.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, Gujarat\u2019s innings had been shaped by Mooney\u2019s resilience after early setbacks. Losing Sophie Devine and then slipping to 48\/3 at the end of the powerplay put pressure firmly on the Giants, before the wicketkeeper-batter and Wareham stitched together a stabilising stand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cProbably wasn't the most ideal start. I think Mooney did a fantastic job of kind of rescuing the innings with Georgia,\u201d Ash reflected.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite the defeat, Gardner struck a reflective, optimistic note about the campaign as a whole, highlighting the Giants\u2019 growth and balance as a team. \u201cThis is probably the most balanced Giants side that we\u2019ve had,\u201d she said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe've unearthed some fantastic talent. Looking at someone like Anushka Sharma, she hasn't looked out of place. 22 years old, batting 3, and what's almost like international cricket. She's, I guess, looked at home. And then you look at someone like Rajeshwari, who's come into this side and she has so much experience. And I guess talking about the Indian players, I think they're the players that almost win you these competitions. And then in saying that, someone like Sophie Devine has been fantastic throughout the whole campaign as well,\u201d the GG skipper added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere\u2019s so much things to be proud of. For this team, obviously, we had a pretty brutal start to the WPL. We didn't win many games, so to do back-to-back, making finals two years in a row, there's certainly plenty of positives to take out of it, but plenty of learnings as well going forward,\u201d Gardner added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe've unearthed some fantastic talent. Looking at someone like Anushka Sharma, she hasn't looked out of place. 22 years old, batting 3, and what's almost like international cricket. She's, I guess, looked at home. And then you look at someone like Rajeshwari, who's come into this side and she has so much experience. And I guess talking about the Indian players, I think they're the players that almost win you these competitions. And then in saying that, someone like Sophie Devine has been fantastic throughout the whole campaign as well,\u201d the GG skipper added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the win, DC sealed their spot in the final of the WPL for the fourth consecutive time in as many editions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n