Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Preview & Prediction | 2025 Women’s Premier League | League Stage
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Reigning WPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru begin the defence of their first title in franchise history against Gujarat Giants.
Date & time: Friday 14th February 2025: USA PT – 6:00am / USA ET – 9:00am / UK – 2:00pm
Venue: Vadodara International Cricket Stadium, Vadodara, India
Weather: Sunny, before clear skies later with temperatures in the mid-twenties.
How to watch: USA – Willow TV / UK – Sky Sports & Sky Go
How to get tickets for the 2025 Women’s Premier League: Click here for the latest ticket information for Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Gujarat Giants Preview: Gardner captains Giants
Australian star Ash Gardner leads Gujarat Giants, who finished rock bottom of the WPL in 2024 and will be desperate for substantial improvement this time around. With the players at their disposal, the expectation is that they will be better, boasting the likes of Gardner, Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney. There’s also plenty of intrigue over 17-year-old Shabnam Shakil.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Preview: Champions back in action
India batter Smriti Mandhana lifted Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first ever WPL trophy last year after a dramatic final victory. However, whilst the reigning champions have key pillars such as Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh back in 2025, they’ve also seen a lot of changes, some of them enforced. Sophie Molineux is injured, whilst both Sophie Devine and Kate Cross also withdrew. However, batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge has been signed and should take Devine’s place.
Gujarat Giants Betting Analysis
The spin of Ash Gardner should prove a huge potent weapon for Gujarat Giants on sub-continental Indian pitches. In the 20-over-format, RCB batters will need to attack her and this may in turn lead to mistakes being made that gift Gardner wickets. With that in mind, consider backing the Australian to pick up over 1.5 match wickets.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Betting Analysis
Ellyse Perry was a standout performer with the bat in the most recent edition of the WBBL and it would be no surprise if the experienced Aussie ended up in the runs once again, this time in the WPL. Perry is a player good enough to star in all conditions across the world, including the sub-continent and backing her to accumulate 30+ runs here has to be favoured.
Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Expert Prediction
Royal Challengers Bengaluru should be strong again in this year’s WPL, but the upturn in personnel cannot be ignored and it would be no surprise if it took them a few games to really click as a unit despite the presence of elite batters such as Perry and Mandhana. Gujarat Giants on paper really do look an excellent team packed full of world class internationals and backing them to gain victory on opening day looks the smart play.
Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Top Tip: Gujarat Giants to win
