2026 edition of Women’s Premier League (WPL) This Saturday, the fire was lit in a grand style at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. In the high-stakes second match of the season, UP Warriors (UPW) Won the toss and decided to field against the powerhouse. Gujarat Giants (GG) Make a row. While the evening was ultimately defined by a flurry of runs, the defining highlight of the first innings was a moment of pure bowling brilliance from the world’s top-ranked spinner, Sophie Ecclestone,
The clash between these two giants promised fireworks, and the result was evident from the opening overs. However, all eyes were on the duel between GG Captain beth mooney and UPW’s strike weapon, Ecclestone.
Sophie Ecclestone bowls a fast ball to dismiss Beth Mooney in WPL 2026
Success came in the fifth over (4.2) gujarat giants Looking dangerous at 41/0. Mooney, who had scored 13 runs from 12 balls, looked set to take the innings forward. Enter Ecclestone, delivering a delivery over the wicket, Ecclestone produced a “peach” that perfectly expressed his world-class skills.
He bowled the ball on a back-of-a-length trajectory, which was well away from the off-stump. As Mooney tried to hit a pull shot through mid-wicket, the ball caught the surface, spun back sharply and slipped through the air at surprising speed. Mooney was completely beaten in terms of speed; Even when the off-stump was tilted back, his bat was still swinging in the middle. The sight of the woodwork flying sent the Navi Mumbai crowd into a frenzy, leading to a clinical debut for Ecclestone, who finished his four-over spell with impressive figures of 2/32.
Here is the video:
Sophie Ecclestone and Beth Mooney.🕸️
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Ashley Gardner and Anushka Sharma lead Gujarat Giants to huge score
Despite Mooney’s initial defeat, the Gujarat stalwart did not take his foot off the accelerator. The response from the middle order was nothing short of a batting masterclass, as they took advantage of the genuine bounce of DY Patil’s surface to post a challenging score of 207/4 in their allotted 20 overs.
Sophie Devine Took charge early on, scoring 38 runs (including five fours and two maximums) off just 20 balls before falling. Shikha PandeyHowever, the game changed decisively during the third wicket partnership Anushka Sharma And Ashley GardnerThe duo put together a massive partnership of 103 runs, effectively eliminating the Warriors from the competition,
Gardner, who performed brilliantly, scored 65 runs in 41 balls with the help of four fours and six skyscraper sixes. While Anushka played a brilliant supporting role by scoring 44 runs in 30 balls, ensuring that the scoreboard remained ticking in the middle overs and at the end of the innings. Georgia Wareham Provided the final flourish by remaining unbeaten on 27 runs in just 10 balls (SR 270.00).
See also: Dream start for Lauren Bell at RCB, Amelia Kerr becomes the first wicket of WPL 2026
This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.
