WPL 2025: Mithali Raj Pinpoints Where Ash Gardner's Gujarat Giants Faltered in Defeat to RCB

Former Indian cricketer Mithali Raj believes Ashleigh Gardner's bowling strategy may have cost Gujarat Giants (GG) in their six-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening match of Women's Premier League season 3 on Friday (February 14) in Vadodara.

Gardner, who followed up her unbeaten 79 with two wickets in her very first over, conceded 23 runs and eventually helping RCB pull off the highest successful chase in WPL history at the Kotambi Stadium.

Despite losing openers Smriti Mandhana and Dani Wyatt-Hodge early, RCB chased down 202 with 9 balls to spare thanks to fifties from Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh to go along with a cameo of 30 from Kanika Ahuja.

Defending 63 in the final five overs, Gardner brought herself back into the attack after producing figures of 2 for 10 in her first two overs of the match. The GG skipper's plan, however, failed as RCB wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh took the Australian all-rounder to the cleaners.

In the 16th over of RCB's chase, Gardner opened the spell with a boundary as Ghosh hit her over extra-cover. The Aussie then bowled a wide down the leg before being hit over long on for a six by the RCB batter. At this point, Gardner may have lost the plot, according to Mithali.

After being hit for a maximum off a tossed up delivery, Gardner started to bowl quicker and Ghosh capitalised with crafty shots for a hattrick of boundaries before the final delivery was a dot.

The former Indian captain said Gardner has the tendancy to bowl quicker when she gets hit for runs, and her reluctance to complete her quota of overs early may have been the wrong decision with dew setting in Vadodara.

"Think Ashleigh Gardner saved her two overs for Richa Ghosh and Georgia Wareham. However, she struggled to get the right grip, or perhaps, as is often the case with her, the more she gets hit, the quicker she bowls," Mithali said on JioHotstar's Amul Cricket Live.

"This actually made it easier for Richa Ghosh to manipulate the field, especially playing those delicate shots toward the third man for boundaries. When the ball was pitched up, she timed it beautifully rather than going for big shots, which helped her capitalize on the scoring opportunities."

Mithali further added that she had belief in RCB chasing down the total until Ghosh was in the middle and also felt the partnership with Kanika, who made it a left-right combination worked in the defending champions' favour.

"As long as Richa Ghosh was at the crease, I believed RCB had a chance. She possesses all the shots-well-timed cover drives and powerful big hits. The left-right combination with Kanika Ahuja also worked to their advantage," Mithali added.

"Gujarat Giants' bowlers were under pressure, and RCB capitalized on their fielding errors. Ultimately, Richa and Kanika finished it off brilliantly, but credit must also go to Ellyse Perry for laying the foundation. Without her contribution, the chase would have been far more challenging."

Richa and Kanika shared an unbeaten stand of 93 off 37 balls to help RCB pull off an impossible win. During their stand, the duo combined for 11 four and 4 sixes as RCB scored 89 in the last seven overs to open their title defence in style.