UP Warriorz (UPW) are set to play their first game in Vadodara as they take on Gujarat Giants (GG) on January 22 at the Kotambi Stadium. Under Meg Lanning’s captaincy, UPW had a disastrous start to their WPL 2026 campaign, suffering three consecutive defeats against GG, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Delhi Capitals (DC). However, they have redeemed themselves with two back-to-back wins over the defending champions, the Mumbai Indians. With renewed confidence, UPW will look to start their Vadodara leg with a win and strengthen their position in the playoff race.
Meanwhile, for GG, the season has been quite contrasting. They began their campaign with two narrow wins against UPW and DC, but three consecutive defeats against MI and RCB (twice) have now put them under serious pressure. Ashleigh Gardner’s leadership is under scrutiny as GG look to get back to winning ways in Vadodara.
In the reverse fixture, it was a high-scoring and closely contested encounter where GG emerged victorious by just 10 runs. So, can GG complete a season double over Lanning’s UPW, or will UPW register a hat-trick of wins? That remains to be seen.
Standings
Gujarat Giants: 5th position, 5 matches – 2 wins, 3 losses, 4 points, NRR -0.864
UP Warriorz: 3rd position, 5 matches – 2 wins, 3 losses, 4 points, NRR -0.483
Head-to-head record in the WPL
Overall: 7 matches – GG 4, UPW 3
At Kotambi Stadium: 1 match – GG 1, UPW 0
GG record at Kotambi Stadium: 4 matches – Won 1, Lost 3
UPW record at Kotambi Stadium: 2 matches – Lost 2
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What happened in the first meeting of this edition?
It was the second match of the season in Navi Mumbai, where GG were asked to bat first. They posted a mammoth 207/4 in 20 overs, led by Sophie Devine’s 38 off 20, skipper Ashleigh Gardner’s 65 off 41, Anushka Sharma’s impressive debut knock of 44 off 30, and Georgia Wareham’s unbeaten 27 at a strike rate of 270. Bharti Fulmali also chipped in with an unbeaten 14 off seven to help GG cross the 200-run mark. For UPW, Sophie Ecclestone picked up two wickets, while Shikha Pandey and Deandra Dottin took one each.
In reply, UPW skipper Meg Lanning looked scratchy during her 30 off 27. Phoebe Litchfield fought back at number three with a brilliant 78 off 40. Contributions from Shweta Sehrawat (25 off 17) and Asha Sobhana (unbeaten 27 off 10) helped UPW close the gap, but they eventually fell short by 10 runs. For GG, Wareham, Devine, and Renuka Singh Thakur took two wickets each, while Gardner and Rajeshwari Gaikwad picked up one apiece. Wareham was named Player of the Match for her all-round performance.
Players to watch out for
GG – Anushka Sharma
Anushka Sharma made her WPL debut against UPW in the reverse fixture and looked confident at number three, scoring 44 off 30 with some classy stroke-play. She added 103 runs with skipper Ashleigh Gardner. In the next game against DC, the 22-year-old managed just 13 before suffering an injury that ruled her out of two matches.
She returned in the last game against RCB, scoring 18 on a tricky surface. GG’s backing of Anushka at number three has been encouraging, and this match against UPW presents another big opportunity for her to showcase her potential.
UPW – Meg Lanning
All eyes will be on UPW skipper Meg Lanning, who is expected to lead from the front with the bat. After a slow start to the season, Lanning has gradually found her rhythm and currently sits fifth on the run-getters’ list with 193 runs in five innings. She has scored two fifties in her last three games, and another solid start will be crucial.
As captain, Lanning has also shown improvement in utilising her bowling resources in recent matches, particularly Kranti Gaud, Sophie Ecclestone, and Deepti Sharma. However, there are still areas to address, such as persisting with an out-of-form Kiran Navgire and the lack of clarity around the number five batting position. Finding the right balance will be key for UPW going forward.
Probable Playing XIs
GG
Beth Mooney (WK), Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner (C), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Bharti Fulmali, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwar, Happy Kumari, Renuka Singh
UPW
Meg Lanning (C), Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Shweta Sehrawat (WK), Chloe Tryon, Simran Shaikh, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud
Also Read: DC vs MI, WPL 2026: MI aim to avoid hat-trick of losses as struggling DC take on defending champions
