Gardner's Giants fluff chance to break Mumbai stranglehold

Despite an impressive personal performance in the field Ash Gardner's Gujarat Giants extended their losing streak agains the Mumbai Indians to end their prospects of direct entry into the Women's Premier League final.

Chasing 180 to win Giants found Mumbai's multi-national attack too hard to handle and lost by nine runs. 

New Zealand leg-spinner Amelia Kerr took 3-34, West Indies' Hayley Matthews 3-38, including Beth Mooney for seven, and South African pacer Shabnim Ismail 2-17 in her four overs including Gardner for a duck and Phoebe Litchfield for 22.

Victory for Mumbai, or even a tie, in the final match of the group stage against last-placed Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday will put them in Saturday's final, pitching third-placed Gujarat against Meg Lanning's Delhi Capitals in Thursday's eliminator.

Gardner put Mumbai, playing at their Brabourne stadium home, in to bat after winning the toss and led by example. She took 1-27 off her four overs, Giants' best figures, dismissing the dangerous Englishwoman Nat Sciver-Brunt caught and bowled for a 31-ball 38.

Gardner also ran out Kerr (five) with a superb direct hit, and caught Amanjot Kaur (27 off 15) to limit a late flurry. 

Harmanpreet Kaur top-scored for Mumbai with 54 off 33 before being caught in the deep by Litchfield. 

Gujarat needed to knock off the runs in 18 overs to go top of the table and Gardner said they approached the target with that in mind, pushing the required rate to ten-an-over. But wickets fell as they attempted to swing the bat and by the 11th over they were 5-70 and well behind the game.

Bharti Fulmali, with a 25-ball 61, kept them in the match but in the end it was too much as Gujarat were bowled out off the last ball. 

Having never beaten the Mumbai side in the WPL's short history, losing all six of their match-ups, Gardner was left to hope that if the two sides meet again this season, be it in the eliminator or the final, Gujarat would finally "change that tune".

Australians at WPL 2025

Delhi Capitals: Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Heather Graham

UP Warriorz: Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King, Georgia Voll

WPL 2025 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Delhi Capitals Women DEL	8	5	3	0	0	0.396	0	10
2 Mumbai Indians Women MI	8	5	3	0	0	0.192	0	10
3 Gujarat Giants GUJ	8	4	4	0	0	0.228	0	8
4 Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women RCB	8	3	5	0	0	-0.196	0	6
5 UP Warriorz UPW	8	3	5	0	0	-0.624	0	6

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points