Courtesy: WPL/X
In the opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025, Gujarat Giants (GG) captain Ashleigh Gardner smashed three consecutive sixes on the bowling of Prema Rawat of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The right-handed batter was severe on anything delivered in the full and shorter length, pummeling it over the boundary rope at will, to provide some much needed impetus to the Gujarat Giants innings.
After being put into bat first, Gujarat Giants lost early wickets of Laura Wolvaardt and Dayalan Hemalatha, which brought Ashleigh Gardner to the crease, who had a measured start to her innings. But, in the 14th over of the innings, after the fall of Beth Mooney’s wicket for a fifty, she took the role of the aggressor, and smashed the first six of the WPL 2025 over the deep long-off boundary on Prema Rawat’s delivery.
The Australian all-rounder followed it up with a dance down the track on the next ball, and deposited it over the deep long-on fielder for the second straight six. Prema Rawat dropped the next ball shorter in length, and it allowed Ashleigh Gardner enough time to rock onto the back foot, and sent it flying over the deep square leg boundary for the third straight six in her innings.
Watch the video here:
After completing her fifty in 25 balls, Ashleigh Gardner stayed unbeaten in her innings on 79 runs in 37 balls with three fours and eight maximums, to propel her team to 201/5 in their allotted overs.
Below are the playing XI of RCB and GG for the opening match of the WPL 2025:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (c), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, VJ Joshitha, Renuka Singh
Gujarat Giants: Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner (capt), Deandra Dottin, Harleen Deol, Simran Shaikh, Tanuja Kanwar, Sayali Satghare, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam
