Gujarat Giants Women captain Ashleigh Gardner said her team stole the game during a thrilling victory over the Delhi Capitals Women.
GG Women scored a tremendous total of 209 runs, putting DC Women under strain. Delhi needed 60 runs from the final four overs at a required run rate of 15 per -, and Laura Wolvaardt almost completed an incredible chase.
DC Women needed seven runs to win in the final over, but Gujarat Giants hung on to win by four runs in a dramatic finale. Gardner said the game was fairly balanced throughout, but she thought her team was comfortable in critical moments. She also mentioned that Indian wickets may be tough and stressed that a match is never truly finished until the final ball is delivered.
“Yeah, they’re one of those games that was in the balance pretty much the whole time. And certainly, [with] 60 [needed] off four overs, I think in the past you probably would be more comfortable being the bowling side. But we know here in India with the wickets and the way that the batters were hitting the ball, you’re kind of never out of it,” said Gardner in the post-match presentation.
“To be able to defend seven in the last over, I felt like we stole that game. But I think they’re the games that I guess give a lot of confidence into the change room and a lot of belief that we can kind of win from any position,” she added.
Proud of the way they fought back: Rodrigues
Delhi Capitals Women captain Jemimah Rodrigues said she was proud of the way her team fought back twice in the match. DC lost top scorer Lizelle Lee after she scored 86 runs, but Wolvaardt’s explosive 77 off just 38 balls nearly took them over the finishing line.
“I think I’m very proud of the girls [with] the way they fought back. Even in our bowling in our first innings, I think the way Sophie Devine was going, she put us under a lot of pressure. But the way Nandani [Sharma] and [Sree] Charani bowled, I think they fought back really well,” said Rodrigues.
“And I couldn’t have been more proud of the belief this team showed in this chase because at one moment, we needed 15 runs an over. But to get it to the last over where we just need seven, I think I couldn’t have been more proud. Yes, it’s a tough pill to swallow, but a lot of positives to take from here,” she added.
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