NewsEnding MI jinx and making the playoffs – a 'pretty special' night for Gujarat Giants
“I was nervous right until the end,” Gujarat Giants head coach Michael Klinger admitted after his side finally saw off Mumbai Indians, ending an 0-8 record and sneaking into the WPL play-offs for a second straight season. The victory, by 12 runs, also means the Giants have now risen from wooden-spooners in the first two editions to genuine contenders.
“I’ve been involved in a few of them from year two-three and this one as well, but to win one where it really counts to qualify for the finals is pretty special,” Klinger said. “They’re a quality team, a quality organisation, but for GG to get over the line tonight means a lot to us and our management and owners as well.”
Early call at the toss
The Giants became the first team in 41 WPL matches to bat first after winning the toss. Klinger’s reasoning sounded simple, yet it raised eyebrows until the plan came off.
“No, I think it was a couple of things,” he explained. “One, we’ve been playing pretty well batting first. It was the fourth time the wicket has been used, so we felt if we could post a pretty solid total and bowl and field somewhere near our best that we could defend it.”
A quick look back helped seal the decision. “We also took into account our first game against Mumbai when we batted first and made 190, I think, 191 [192]… If we probably bowled and fielded a little bit better, we should have won that game as well.”
On a surface Klinger reckoned “was a little bit slower” than the one used a fortnight ago, 169 for 6 proved enough. “Tonight, we were pretty close to one of our best games… I thought getting pretty close to 170 was maybe slightly above par, so I thought our batting group did a great job and everyone contributed to get us to that total.”
Devine starts, Wareham finishes
Sophie Devine and Georgia Wareham, two of the three Australians in the XI, all but iced the match. Devine’s 25 off 20 set the tempo and she later removed Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews – arguably the twin pillars of the MI chase.
“She’s had an excellent season with bat and ball. I thought she batted really well today as well. As I said, on a tougher wicket to score mid-20s off about 20 balls gave us a solid start, which is what we needed tonight,” Klinger said. “Her bowling and presence in general on match day, outside of match day, at training, helping some of the others and just being a great personality around the group. She’s worth every cent that we bought her for and she’s been fantastic. Hopefully, she can continue it for one or two more games.”
Wareham, meanwhile, looked equally at home with bat and ball. Promoted to No. 5, she cracked an unbeaten 44 from 26 deliveries in tandem with skipper Ash Gardner (38 off 29). The leg-spinner then returned 2 for 26, including a nerveless 19th over that cost just seven.
“Georgia is a star. Another one who, on the field and off the field, is great to have in our group. She probably hasn’t quite clicked 100% for her, but she’s shown signs,” Klinger said. “I think the first game, she got 27 off ten balls, she got 43 off 30 or 33 [26] against MI last game.”
Indian core steps up
The headline numbers belonged to the overseas trio, yet India’s youngsters had fingerprints all over the result. Wicket-keeper Bharti Fulmali pulled off a sharp stumping to send back Amelia Kerr, and 20-year-old seamer Meghna Singh conceded just six from her final over. Those small wins added up; Mumbai finished 157 for 8.
Where next?
A qualifier against either Delhi Capitals or UP Warriorz now awaits. For a team that once struggled to string two wins together, the mood is cautious optimism rather than chest-thumping.
Klinger, true to type, refused to look too far ahead. “I was nervous right until the end,” he reminded, smiling. The Giants have broken one hoodoo; they will need one more complete performance to reach a maiden final. For now, ending the MI bogey is “pretty special” enough.
