Image: Gujarat Giants face Mumbai Indians on Tuesday / © X (Twitter)
However, WPL 2026 has begun to show improvement for GG and is breaking the past performance and highest run total to this point in both matches, with a run rate of 10.4 quickest run team in the entire WPL. In fact, the only team to score 200 runs so far this season is the only team that has had this many matches in which teams that have had the highest bowling winning percentage have won the toss.
GG has also consistently performed well as a group playing in the same venue over the last 20+ games. This has seen that 20 of these 23 women’s T20s hosted have been won by the winning team winning the toss, has the highest bowling winning percentages by GG, and has produced the best scores through 2 matches.
Sophie Devine was one of GG’s marquee auction signings, and her arrival has led to several players being recruited to fill gaps. GG’s impressive season has been aided by Devine’s performances, particularly given that her usual opening partner, Beth Mooney, has started the season poorly. In GG’s season-opening game against UP Warriorz, she hit a blistering 20-ball 38 to set the tone for GG’s innings. In GG’s second match, a narrow win against Delhi Capitals, Devine produced an incredible 42-ball 95.
GG’s run rate in the power play is 11.33, which is easily the highest for all teams this season, with no other team coming close to a run rate of 10 in their first six overs.
Captain Ashleigh Gardner remains a key figure, with guidance provided by new players Anushka Sharma and Georgia Wareham. Together, the three have provided significant contributions towards keeping the momentum of the innings.
Looking ahead, GG faces one of the league’s top bowling teams in the Mumbai Indians (MI), who have only given away an average of 7.74 runs per over over the course of two matches so far. In MI’s first match of the season against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, MI was close to successfully defending a total of 154 runs but was ultimately unsuccessful. MI then defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) in their second match of the season. MI had a great game where they successfully defended their total, defending against a DC batting line-up that at one point had been reduced to 46 runs for five wickets.
Therefore, this will be a significant test to see if GG is able to successfully apply the batting strategies they have developed recently.