GG vs RCB Women Match Preview, Prediction, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Injury Update – WPL 2025, Match Number 1

Gujarat Giants Women vs RCB Women Match Details:

The third season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL 2025) is going to get underway with the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women taking on Gujarat Giants (GG) Women at the brand new Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on February 14, 2025.

RCB will walk into the tournament as the defending champions having won the tournament in 2024 by defeating the two-time finalists Delhi Capitals in the final. On the other hand, Gujarat Giants finished at the bottom of the points table in both the previous seasons and would hope to turn their fortunes around this time at their home venue. Both teams will have their eyes set on kicking off the season with a win to set the ball rolling.

Gujarat Giants Women vs RCB Women Expected Playing 11s and Injury Updates:

If we have a look at the home team first, they have a revamped look to their side after finishing rock-bottom in both the previous seasons. They are now looking at a fresh start with fresh people in the backroom as well as in the leadership group within the team. Having bid adieu to former India duo of Nooshin Al Khadeer (assistant coach) and Mithali Raj (mentor), Giants went into the auction and made waves by acquiring the services of the Caribbean Deandra Dottin for INR 1.7 CR and went all-in for Indian uncapped batter Simran Shaikh at INR 1.9 CR.

Then, they announced a change at the helm with Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner taking over the reigns from her Aussie teammate Beth Mooney who will still be a part of the leadership group but can now focus more on her keeping and batting as per head coach Michael Klinger.

Gujarat Giants Women Probable Playing 11

Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney (wk), Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner (C), Simran Shaikh, Meghana Singh, Kashvee Gautam/Sayali Satghare, Tanuja Kanwar, Priya Mishra

The challenges for the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women, are completely different. They have been marred by a plethora of injuries even before the start of the tournament with the likes of Sophie Molineux, and Kate Cross out of the tournament with injuries and T20 WC-winning Kiwi captain Sophie Devine having withdrawn from the tournament citing an indefinite break from cricket. Some more vital names like Ellyse Perry, Asha Sobhana and Shreyanka Patil are either recovering or have just recovered from different injuries and it will be a challenge for RCB to put out their full strength 11 on the park.

In the mini-auction, they acquired the services of Englishwoman Danielle Wyatt-Hodge who will now open the batting with skipper Smriti Mandhana, while they also issued big cheques to the likes of Prema Rawat who will have to play a big role for them.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Probable Playing 11

Smriti Mandhana (C), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, S Meghana, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Renuka Thakur

Gujarat Giants Women vs RCB Women Toss Prediction: RCB to win

Gujarat Giants Women vs RCB Women Head-to-Head Record:

There is nothing to choose between both these teams in their head-to-head record. They have met 4 times in total with both sides winning two matches each out of the four.

Gujarat Giants Women vs RCB Women Pitch Report & Weather Conditions:

The sky should be clear for the tournament opener in Vadodara with pleasant temperatures hovering around 26-27° C. The Kotambi Stadium is newly built and the small sample size of the matches conducted there suggests that the pitch usually favors the batters and we can expect the bat to dominate the ball for most parts. Spinners could come into play as the match progresses if dew does not play a part but expect the batters to largely dominate proceedings. The viewers could be in for a high-scoring contest to kick the season off.