The Gujarat Giants (GG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face off in a crucial match in the sixth match of the WPL 2023 on March 8 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
After playing two games each in WPL 2023, the two teams in question remain winless. With a lot of games coming up quickly, it’s critical that they play their best cricket and bring their A-game to the forefront.
A lot could depend on crucial matchups if GG and RCB are to avoid fighting and score their first points. In this section, we examine three battles involving key players that have the potential to shape the contest’s outcome.
1 Ashleigh Gardner vs. Smriti Mandhana:
When Harmanpreet Kaur bowled with Hayley Matthews in the opening over of the Mumbai Indians vs. RCB match, it was clear that the captain had done her research. It is common knowledge that off-spin keeps Smriti Mandhana quiet up top, and the left-handed batter will have her work cut out once more on Wednesday when Ashleigh Gardner is waiting.
In all T20 matches, the Australian all-rounder has defeated Mandhana six times, averaging just 16.50 runs per match. They will need to stop the opposing captain from winning the game if GG are to restrict a powerful RCB batting unit.
As a result, in today’s WPL 2023 matchup, captain Sneh Rana will likely start Gardner and make the most of the matchup.
2 Sophia Dunkley vs. Renuka Thakur
With Beth Mooney still recovering from a knee injury, Sophia Dunkley must get GG off to a strong start. Before Deepti Sharma ended her time in the game against UP Warriorz, the dashing English opener looked like she was going to tackle the game head-on.
Renuka Thakur has appeared rather rusty in her two WPL 2023 games and has not yet taken a wicket. At this point, RCB appears to be heavily dependent on her, and they will be hoping that this evening she produces the impressive swing she is known for.
3 Tanuja Kanwar vs. Ellyse Perry
The left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar has performed exceptionally well for GG in both of her games thus far. In the powerplay, she has kept things simple and effective while appearing perceptive and effective.
With Ellyse Perry serving as RCB’s guard in today’s WPL 2023 match, she may face a challenging task. The superstar from Australia hasn’t started off well, but now that she’s reinvented herself as a T20 batter, she’ll try to keep the momentum going after the powerplay.
That’s where GG can consider using Kanwar’s left arm spin to try to keep her on her toes. This matchup is even more intriguing because neither player has ever competed against the other.