Fantasy: Trust Healy, Gardner and Ecclestone to deliver

Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals have already qualified for the knockout stages of the inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League, and the race for the third spot is heating up with all three teams in contention. 

After suffering a thumping defeat by eight wickets against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the fortunes of the Gujarat Giants are hanging by a thread. The Sneh Rana-led outfit needs to register a win and hope for other results to go their way inorder to secure a place in the top three. 

On the other hand, the UP Warriorz need to win one out of their two games to seal their place in the knockouts of the tournament. The Warriorz will be riding high on confidence after recording a famous win against the Mumbai Indians to halt their juggernaut and inch closer to the playoffs. 

With plenty at stake, here are some of the critical fantasy tips to help you build your playing XI for this high-voltage clash.

Ground details

The average first innings run scored at the Brabourne Stadium was around the 190-run mark in the first half of the tournament. However, with the games coming thick and fast, the wickets have slowed down considerably in the last couple of matches. 

The spinners have enjoyed bowling on the sluggish surface on offer and will hold the key yet again in this afternoon encounter. 

Suggested Team

While you could go for the above team, you can also choose your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.

Captaincy Suggestions

For small leagues: Ash Gardner (Captain), Alyssa Healy  (vice-captain)

For grand leagues:  Deepti Sharma (Captain), Grace Harris (vice-captain)

Stats that matter

Ash Gardner was the player of the tournament in the recently concluded T20 World Cup in South Africa with 110 runs and ten wickets. She is one of the most destructive all-rounders in women's game and scored 144 runs in seven innings at an average of 24, including a match-winning 51* in the WPL.

In the absence of Beth Mooney, Gardner will be crucial to the chances of the Giants as she has a strike rate of 189.9 in the death overs (16-20), making her the player Warriorz would want to get rid of early. 

The skipper of the UP Warriorz, Alyssa Healy is the leading run-scorer of the side with 194 runs in six innings at an average of 38.79 and a strike rate of 148.1, making her an exciting prospect to have in your fantasy XI. 

Another important pick in your XI would be the number one ranked bowler in T20I cricket, Sophie Ecclestone. The left-arm spinner is the leading wicket-taker for the Warriorz, with 12 wickets in six innings at a strike rate of 11.8 and an economy rate of 6.1. 

Grand League Punts

The player of the match in the Warriorz win against the Mumbai Indians, Deepti Sharma can be your go-to person for maximum points due to her all-around abilities. 

The off-spinner scalped nine wickets in six innings and is leading the spin bowling unit of the Warriorz along with Ecclestone. While she has not set the tournament on fire with her batting abilities, her 13* off 14 deliveries in a pressure run chase against Mumbai helped Warriorz get over the line. 

In the last game between the two sides, Grace Harris' blitz of unbeaten 59 off 26 deliveries helped the Warriorz pull off a heist. The right-handed batter has been in sublime form scoring 144 runs in three innings at an average of 72 and a strike rate of 167.4. 

With a place in the knockouts at stake, expect Harris to display an array of strokes and enthral the fans in this high-voltage clash. 

Probable XIs:

Gujarat Giants: Sophia Dunkley, Laura Wolvaardt, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sabbhineni Meghana, Sushma Verma (wk), Kim Garth, Sneh Rana (Captain), Tanuja Kanwar, Ashwani Kumari

UP Warriorz: Alyssa Healy (Captain and wk), Devika Vaidya, Tahlia McGrath, Kiran Navgire, Deepti Sharma, Simran Shaikh, Grace Harris, Sophie Ecclestone, Rajeshwari Gaikwad, Anjali Sarvani, Parshvi Chopra