The third season of the Women’s Premier League kicks off on Friday, February 14, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Gujarat Giants in the opening match at Kotambi Stadium. Fans can catch the live action on television and digital platforms.
Match Details
- Fixture: Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 1st Match, WPL 2025
- Date: Friday, February 14, 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara
Where to Watch
- Live Telecast: The match will be broadcast live on Star Sports in India.
- Live Streaming: Fans can stream the match live on Disney+ Hotstar.
RCB, led by Smriti Mandhana, enters the tournament as the defending champion after securing its maiden WPL title in 2024. The team features international stars like Ellyse Perry along with Indian talents such as Richa Ghosh and Shreyanka Patil. However, RCB will be without key players Sophie Devine and Kate Cross for the season opener. Gujarat Giants, under the leadership of Ashleigh Gardner, will aim to deliver a strong performance after finishing at the bottom of the table last season. The team managed only two wins from eight matches in WPL 2024. Skipper Beth Mooney will be key in their efforts to turn things around.
RCB captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and opted to bowl first. Mandhana said the decision was influenced by the possibility of dew later in the game. "It's good to be back in Baroda. We were here a month back. I thought it was going to be Gujarat's home ground but looks like it is our home ground. We would like to bowl first. Dew is a big factor so it is better to bowl a few overs before it sets in. We had good practice sessions. Preparation has been good. Few forced changes. Perry, Wareham, Danny and Kim are the four overseas players," Mandhana said.
Gujarat Giants skipper Ashleigh Gardner admitted she also wanted to bowl first but remained confident in her squad. "We were going to bowl as well but that's okay. We have built a good rapport with the Gujarat girls. We have got youth and experience in our team. Excited to get started. Five debutants," Gardner said.
Playing XIs
RCB Women: Smriti Mandhana (c), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (w), Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Joshitha V J, Renuka Thakur Singh.
Gujarat Giants Women: Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney (w), Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Deandra Dottin, Harleen Deol, Simran Shaikh, Tanuja Kanwar, Sayali Satghare, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam.
Head-to-Head Record
RCB and Gujarat Giants have faced each other four times, with both teams winning two matches each. In their last encounter during WPL 2024, Gujarat secured a 19-run victory. The team posted 199 for five while RCB struggled in the chase and failed to keep up with the required run rate.