WPL 2025 [WATCH]: Ashleigh Gardner stuns RCB by removing Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt-Hodge in a single over

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Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner made an immediate impact in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025, striking twice in her very first over to put Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on the back foot in their chase of 202. First, she trapped Smriti Mandhana plumb in front for 9 with a sharp delivery that angled in and skidded onto the pads. Four balls later, Gardner delivered another massive blow by cleaning up Danni Wyatt-Hodge for just 4.

Smriti Mandhana’s aggressive start cut short by Ashleigh Gardner’s precision

Mandhana walked out with intent, striking two crisp boundaries early on to signal RCB’s attacking approach in their daunting chase of 202. However, Gardner, leading Gujarat from the front, produced a masterclass in bowling, cutting short the RCB captain’s stay.

On just her second delivery of the match, Gardner bowled a back-of-a-length ball that pitched on off stump and skidded in sharply with the angle. Mandhana, caught on the crease while trying to play square on the leg side, failed to adjust to the sharp movement. The ball struck her flush on the pads, and up went the finger immediately. The appeal was loud and confident, and Mandhana herself seemed to know she was in trouble.

Despite looking ready to walk off, she was persuaded by her batting partner to take the review, possibly hoping the ball was sliding down her leg. But the replays crushed RCB’s hopes. The ball had beaten the inside edge of her bat and was heading straight into the middle stump, leaving no room for doubt. Ultra Edge confirmed no involvement of the bat, and ball-tracking showed three reds—crashing into the stumps. With that, Mandhana lost her wicket and burned RCB’s review in the first over. Gardner had struck gold, sending the opposition’s most experienced batter back for just 9 off 7 balls.

Also WATCH: Renuka Thakur starts WPL 2025 by shattering Laura Wolvaardt’s stumps with a brilliant delivery

Danni Wyatt-Hodge falls next, middle stump flattened

RCB, already rocked by the early departure of their captain, had no time to recover before Gardner struck again, this time dismantling Danni Wyatt-Hodge. The English opener had just opened her account with a boundary and was looking to settle in, but Gardner’s relentless accuracy did not allow her that luxury.

On the final ball of the same over, Gardner delivered a skiddy, fuller-length ball targeting off stump. Wyatt-Hodge, in an attempt to sweep, committed to the shot too early without getting close to the pitch of the ball. The result was disastrous – she missed it entirely, and the ball crashed into the middle stump, sending it flying.

As the bails lit up and the stump lay uprooted, Wyatt-Hodge could only look back in despair before walking off for just 4 off 4 balls. The Gujarat Giants erupted in celebration, and Gardner, with figures of 2/2 at the end of her first over, had completely turned the match on its head. With both openers dismissed in quick succession, RCB’s chase of 201 had suffered a massive early setback, leaving them needing a massive recovery from their middle order to stay in the game.

Here’s the video:

𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

First with the bat and now with the ball #GG captain Ash Gardner is on an absolute roll

Live- https://t.co/5E1LoAlPBt #TATAWPL | #GGvRCB | @Giant_Cricket pic.twitter.com/N2CWlVtOAJ

— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 14, 2025