Highest successful run chases in WPL [Source: @RCBTweets/x]
The grand stage of India-based Women’s Premier League (WPL) has served as a battleground for some audacious run chases, where competing teams have often dismantled daunting T20 targets with a blend of aggression and precision. Unfortunately for the Gujarat Giants franchise, a two-time wooden-spooners, each of the league’s five biggest successful run chases have been pulled off against them.
Here is a look at top five highest successful run chases in WPL matches ever since the inception of the competition back in 2023.
5. UP Warriorz 175-7 vs Gujarat Giants, WPL 2023
The UP Warriorz Women chased down Gujarat Giants’ 169-run total with relative ease back during the opening weekend of the inaugural edition of WPL in 2023. Batting first at the DY Patil Stadium, the Giants hauled 169-6 from 20 overs courtesy of a swift 32-ball 46 from Harleen Deol and explosive cameos from Ashleigh Gardner and Dayalan Hemalatha.
In response, Kiran Navgire at number three minted 53 runs off 43 balls for the Warriorz, before Grace Harris ran riot over Gujarat Giants bowlers with a whirlwind 26-ball 59*, clattering seven boundaries and three huge sixes in the process. A finishing act from Sophie Ecclestone also enlightened the chase as the Warriorz reached 175-7 with a ball to spare.
4. UP Warriorz 181-7 vs Gujarat Giants, WPL 2023
A couple of weeks after their opening faceoff, UP Warriorz once again pulled off a stunning chase against Gujarat Giants, with a same three-wicket margin in exactly 19.5 overs, albeit at the Brabourne Stadium in match 17 of the WPL 2023 season. Moreover, Warriorz star Grace Harris bagged the ‘Player of the Match’ award, doing so for the second time against Gujarat Giants in a space of 15 days.
The Giants batted first and scored 178-6, largely owing to blistering half-centuries from Dayalan Hemalatha and Ashleigh Gardner. Chasing 179, the Warriorz’ response featured a scintillating 38-ball 57 from Tahlia McGrath before Harris bludgeoned 72 runs from just 41 balls to seal the match in her team’s favor.
3. RCB Women 189-2 vs Gujarat Giants, WPL 2023
Gujarat Giants also found itself at the receiving end of a miraculous run-chase from RCB Women in WPL 2023 at the Brabourne Stadium. Batting first in match number 16 of the inaugural edition of the tournament, Giants opener Laura Wolvaardt smeared 68 runs off 42 balls before slog-overs fury from Ashleigh Gardner blazed their team to a monumental 188-4.
As it turned out, RCB opener and legendary New Zealand cricketer Sophie Devine made lightwork of Gujarat Giants’ grand total by whacking 99 runs off just 36 deliveries with nine raging boundaries and eight sweltering maximums. Devine’s blinder, coupled with some crafty finishing from Ellyse Perry and Heather Knight helped RCB seal the game with eight wickets in just 15.3 overs.
2. Mumbai Indians 191-3 vs Gujarat Giants, WPL 2024
After losing three games in a single WPL season of 2023 despite posing formidable 165-plus totals, Gujarat Giants also lost to defending champions Mumbai Indians in match number 16 of the WPL 2024 season at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Batting first, Giants captain and blistering opener Beth Mooney tonked eight boundaries and three sixes in her 35-ball 66, while number three Dayalan Hemalatha top-scored in the innings with a 40-ball 74 to catapult the Giants up to 190-7 from 20 overs.
For Mumbai Indians, opener Yastika Bhatia started off the chase with a cunning 49, but a valiant 48-ball 95* from captain Harmanpreet Kaur helped the defending champions blazed past the finishing line in 19.5 overs with seven wickets in hand.
1. RCB Women 202-4 vs Gujarat Giants, WPL 2025
Gujarat Giants’ dreadful attempts at defending big totals carried on to WPL 2025, where they lost their opening match of the season itself to RCB Women after scoring 201-5 from 20 overs upfront. Beth Mooney paced her way to 56 from 42 balls, before Ashleigh Gardner’s explosive 37-ball 79* set up foundation of a big Gujarat Giants total.
For a change, the Giants started out on a confident note during RCB’s run-chase, reducing the defending champions to 14-2 at one stage of the innings. However, a calculated half-century from Ellyse Perry, and a burgeoning 27-ball 64* from wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh ensured RCB won the match by six wickets and nine balls to spare.