Gujarat Giants look to flip losing streak against in-form UP Warriorz

With two wins each, there might not be a lot to separate UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants on the points table, but they are carrying different momentum at this stage in the competition. The Meg Lanning-led side have flipped their campaign with back-to-back wins against Mumbai Indians in Navi Mumbai before heading to Vadodara, while Giants have lost a bit steam with three successive losses - none more harsher their first game in the city.

Despite losing the first three games of their campaign, Warriorz backed their XI to come good over time, and it has shown results against one opposition, at least. The players, led by Lanning, have picked up form. However, just when it seemed that they could get on a roll, they will have to familiarise themselves with new conditions all over again. Their pain-point, however, would be the lack of form that Kiran Navgire is carrying at the moment. She has scored only 16 runs in five games.

Giants, on the other hand, have been fairly choppy with their combinations, and in the absence of Beth Mooney finding form, they are looking vulnerable - too dependent on heavy contributions, especially with the bat, from Sophie Devine and Ash Gardner. The bowling resources haven't been utilised adequately, and dropped catches have come to hurt them significantly. On their home leg, they would look to restart their engine. But yet again, they would be dependent on their overseas imports to shoulder the responsibility.

@B0$ Thursday, January 22, 2026, 7:30 IST

@B1$ UP Warriorz vs Gujarat Giants, BCA Stadium, Kotambi

@B2$Scores have been middling in the first two games at the venue, with run-scoring not being as easy. There has been a bit of assistance for the pacers early on in the innings. Teams might look to strengthen their pace attack slightly.

@B3$

@B4$ Despite two victories, and Chloe Tryon contributing her fair bit, Warriorz may tinker with the option of bringing back Deandra Dottin to strengthen their pace resources.

Probable XI: Meg Lanning, Kiran Navgire, Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon/Deandra Dottin, Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, S Asha, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud

@B5$ Titas Sadhu has been ruled out of WPL 2026. Jintamani Kalita has been roped in as her replacement.

Probable XI: Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Ash Gardner, Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Bharti Fulmali, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwar, Renuka Thakur, Happy Kumari/Rajeshwari Gayakwad

@B6$

"It's pretty frustrating. I'm not going to lie (on winning the toss and losing). I just think we're just not winning those small moments, whether it's in the field where you're taking chances and then people go on to make decent scores" - @B7$, Gujarat Giants captain

"Losing the first three wasn't ideal, but the group stayed upbeat. We were confident in our ability and knew we just needed to bring it for a little bit longer. It's been really great from the group to come out and play against a really good Mumbai side and get two wins on the trot. That gives us some really nice momentum heading into Vadodara now" - @B8$, UP Warriorz captain