sixth match of Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 The event officially begins tonight, January 13, 2026, with a high-stakes clash between the two legends at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Harmanpreet Kaur Won the toss and elected to field first, identifying heavy dew as a key factor that would favor the chasing team.
The encounter has been marked by a massive change in team dynamics, with both sides lacking established veterans and lacking new talent. Gujarat Giants (GG) have entered the field with a bold, attack-heavy lineup featuring breakout domestic stars, looking to end their winning streak against the defending champions. Meanwhile, Mumbai are looking to maintain their dominance despite being forced to make late changes to their main combination.
WPL 2026, MI-W vs GG-W: The reason behind the absence of star all-rounder Nate Sciver-Brunt
Shortly before the toss, Mumbai gave a big blow to the defending champions and revealed their star. England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt The conflict will be missed. Captain Harmanpreet confirmed that Sciver-Brunt, who has been the ‘engine’ of MI’s success in the last three seasons and coming off a match-winning 70 in the last game, was ruled out with a minor injury during the warm-up.
His absence led to a tactical reshuffle, leading to the return of the West Indian superstar hayley matthewsJo steps back into the XI after recovering from the illness that kept her out of the opening match of the season. Apart from his cricketing contributions, Sciver-Brunt’s presence in the middle order is a big miss for Mumbai, as he has been instrumental in stabilizing their innings in high-pressure games. The team management expressed hope for his speedy recovery, but the responsibility for tonight shifted to the remaining experienced core hayley matthews And amelia kerr To fill the huge void left by the England superstar.
“And now Hayley is back, she’s fit, so hopefully we’ll click in that area too. Unfortunately, Nat (Syver-Brunt) wasn’t well today, so Hayley’s back in her place.” Harmanpreet said at the time of toss.
See also: Nandini Sharma takes a sensational hat-trick in WPL 2026
WPL 2026, MI vs GG: Reason behind absence of star all-rounder Anushka Sharma
In a huge blow to Gujarat, moments before the toss, the franchise revealed their breakout teenage sensation Anushka Sharma Will miss important encounters. captain Ashley Gardner This was confirmed by Sharma, who created a stir in the tournament by playing a brilliant inning of 44 runs in the very first match. UP WarriorsHe was sidelined after suffering a minor injury during the team’s final training session.
“There was a team change today. Anushka is unfortunately out due to injury, and Ayushi is making her debut today.” Gardner said.
His absence led to a tactical reshuffle, leading to the introduction of the WPL for domestic recruitment Ayushi SoniWho steps in to provide stability in the middle order. Apart from his recent run-scoring, Sharma’s fearless approach at No. 3 had become a key component of Gujarat’s aggressive new identity this season. The team management expressed hope for his speedy recovery, but the responsibility for tonight shifted to the experienced core Sophie Devine And Gardner opened the innings and filled the void left by the young Indian star.
This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.