WPL 2026 Match 5: GG-W vs UPW Prediction, Playing 11, Fantasy Tips

Match 5 of WPL 2026 features a crucial early-season encounter between Gujarat Giants Women and UP Warriorz at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams finished outside the top two in WPL 2025, and both have made significant squad changes in the hope of becoming genuine title contenders this season. This match could set the tone for the rest of their respective campaigns.

Ashleigh Gardner's Gujarat Giants Women bring raw power and X-factor to every match they play. Gardner herself is one of the most explosive cricketers in the world — her ability to clear boundaries and take wickets with her off-spin makes her the most impactful all-rounder in this contest. Beth Mooney's consistency at the top complements Gardner's aggression perfectly, and the addition of Laura Wolvaardt in the middle order has added class and stability.

On the other side, Alyssa Healy's UP Warriorz are building towards something special. Healy's leadership has transformed this team's mentality — they now play with the belief that they can beat anyone. Deepti Sharma remains one of the most underrated cricketers in the WPL, and Tahlia McGrath's bowling adds genuine pace to an attack that previously lacked firepower.

Here is your complete breakdown — playing elevens, Dream11 tips, pitch report, and our expert match prediction.

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Match Overview

Detail	Information
Match	WPL 2026, Match 5
Teams	Gujarat Giants Women vs UP Warriorz
Date	Monday, 30 March 2026
Venue	Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Time	7:30 PM IST
Broadcast	JioCinema (free streaming), Sports18

The Narendra Modi Stadium — the world's largest cricket ground — hosts WPL cricket for the first time in WPL 2026. The sheer scale of this venue creates a unique atmosphere, and the conditions in Ahmedabad in late March will test both teams' ability to handle heat and humidity.

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Head-to-Head Record

GG-W and UPW have met five times across three WPL seasons, with a remarkably tight record.

Stat	GG-W	UPW
Matches Played	5	5
Wins	3	2
Highest Team Score	172/4	165/6
Lowest Team Score	108	115/9
Average Score	144	142

Gujarat Giants Women hold a 3-2 advantage in this head-to-head. Both teams have produced some remarkable performances in this fixture — GG-W's 172/4 in WPL 2024, led by an Ashleigh Gardner blitz of 63 off 31 balls, remains one of the highest totals in WPL history for this matchup. UPW's two victories were both in low-scoring games where Deepti Sharma's bowling strangled GG-W's middle order.

The pattern is clear: when it is a high-scoring game, GG-W tend to win thanks to their superior power hitting. When it is a low-scoring affair with the ball doing something, UPW's bowling quality gives them the edge.

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Team Analysis

Gujarat Giants Women

GG-W enter WPL 2026 with renewed optimism after a strong showing at the WPL auction. Their squad now combines the explosive power of Australian cricketers with the depth and experience of Indian domestic stars. The question is whether they can translate individual talent into consistent team performances.

Key Players:

• Ashleigh Gardner (Captain): The most destructive all-rounder in the WPL, bar none. Gardner hits sixes with terrifying ease — her WPL six-hitting record of 28 sixes in three seasons is the highest by any player. Her off-spin is deceptively effective too, taking 16 wickets across three WPL seasons at an economy of 7.1. As captain, she leads from the front and sets the tone with her aggressive approach.
• Beth Mooney: The quiet achiever. While Gardner gets the headlines, Mooney's consistency makes GG-W's batting function. The Australian left-hander scored 347 runs in WPL 2025 at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 127. She rotates strike brilliantly and rarely wastes balls, making her the perfect anchor in a power-hitting lineup.
• Sneh Rana: India's experienced off-spinning all-rounder is the backbone of GG-W's middle-overs bowling. Rana's WPL economy rate of 6.4 runs per over across three seasons is exceptional, and she can bat at 5 or 6 when needed. Her tactical awareness in bowling — varying pace, angle, and trajectory — makes her difficult to score against.

Strengths: Power hitting through Gardner, Mooney, and Wolvaardt is world-class. Sneh Rana's middle-overs bowling provides control, and the team's overall batting depth has improved with the inclusion of Laura Wolvaardt and Phoebe Litchfield. GG-W's fielding, led by Gardner's athleticism, is among the best in the WPL.

Weakness: GG-W's fast bowling has historically been their weakest link. They have lacked a genuine pace spearhead who can take wickets in the powerplay. Their death bowling has been expensive, and they over-rely on Gardner and Rana through the middle overs, which can leave them short on options if both have off days.

UP Warriorz

UPW are the improvers of the WPL. From last-place finishers in WPL 2023 to playoff qualifiers in WPL 2025, their trajectory is impressive. The arrival of Alyssa Healy as captain has brought a winning mentality and professional standards that have transformed this franchise.

Key Players:

• Alyssa Healy (Captain/Wicketkeeper): The most dangerous powerplay batter in this match. Healy's strike rate of 145 in WPL powerplay overs is the highest among all openers in the tournament. She attacks from ball one, and her ability to score boundaries both through the off-side and over mid-wicket makes her impossible to bowl to in the first six overs. Her wicketkeeping adds additional fantasy and team value.
• Deepti Sharma: The all-rounder who holds UPW together. Deepti bowls four overs of off-spin through the middle period with remarkable control — her WPL economy of 6.2 is the lowest among all bowlers with at least 40 overs bowled. She also bats at 4 or 5 and can construct innings when the top order fails.
• Tahlia McGrath: Australia's pace-bowling all-rounder has emerged as one of the most valuable players in women's T20 cricket. McGrath swings the new ball, bowls yorkers at the death, and can bat anywhere from 3 to 7. Her versatility gives UPW tactical flexibility that few teams in the WPL can match.

Strengths: Healy's powerplay aggression sets up totals. Deepti Sharma's middle-overs control keeps opposition batters in check. McGrath and Chamari Athapaththu provide overseas quality that can match anyone. UPW's team spirit and belief under Healy's leadership is palpable — they play for each other, and that intangible quality often makes the difference in close matches.

Weakness: UPW's middle-order batting between positions 4 and 7 remains a concern. If Healy, Athapaththu, and the top three fail, there is a significant drop in quality. Their spin bowling, outside of Deepti Sharma, lacks a genuine wicket-taking option. They need at least one more spinner who can take wickets in the middle overs.

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Predicted Playing 11

GG-W Predicted Playing 11

No.	Player	Role
1	Beth Mooney	Wicketkeeper-Batter
2	Ashleigh Gardner (c)	All-rounder
3	Laura Wolvaardt	Batter
4	Dayalan Hemalatha	All-rounder
5	Sneh Rana	All-rounder
6	Harleen Deol	Batter
7	Phoebe Litchfield	Batter
8	Kim Garth	All-rounder
9	Shabnim Ismail	Fast Bowler
10	Tanuja Kanwar	Spinner
11	Meghna Singh	Fast Bowler

UPW Predicted Playing 11

No.	Player	Role
1	Alyssa Healy (c/wk)	Wicketkeeper-Batter
2	Chamari Athapaththu	Batter
3	Tahlia McGrath	All-rounder
4	Kiran Navgire	Batter
5	Deepti Sharma	All-rounder
6	Grace Harris	All-rounder
7	Rajeshwari Gayakwad	Spinner
8	Arundhati Reddy	Fast Bowler
9	Darcie Brown	Fast Bowler
10	Parshavi Chopra	Spinner
11	Anjali Sarvani	Fast Bowler

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Dream11 Fantasy Tips

Captain and Vice-Captain Picks

Pick	Player	Reason
Captain	Ashleigh Gardner	Bats in top 3, bowls 3-4 overs off-spin. Best all-rounder in the match with 50+ point ceiling in fantasy.
Vice-Captain	Alyssa Healy	Opens batting plus wicketkeeping = maximum ball involvement. Powerplay aggressor with 145 SR in WPL.

Must-Have Players

• Beth Mooney — Consistent run-scorer who rarely fails. Opens the batting and keeps wicket for GG-W. Her strike rate of 127 means she faces plenty of balls, accumulating batting points steadily.
• Deepti Sharma — All-round guaranteed points. Bowls 4 overs with an economy of 6.2, and bats in the middle order. Even on a quiet day, she returns 40+ fantasy points from bowling alone.
• Tahlia McGrath — Pace-bowling all-rounder who bowls at the death and bats in the top five. McGrath's wicket-taking ability with the new ball and at the death makes her a dual-threat fantasy pick.

Differential Picks

• Laura Wolvaardt — South Africa's stylish batter at 3 for GG-W is a class act. She will be under-owned relative to her ability, and at the Narendra Modi Stadium's flat pitch, she could produce a match-winning innings.
• Chamari Athapaththu — Sri Lanka's explosive opener is a high-risk, high-reward fantasy pick. When she connects, she hits some of the biggest sixes in women's cricket. Her ceiling is enormous, and she will be low-owned in most contests.

Players to Avoid

• Avoid selecting more than one specialist number 10 or 11 batter from either side. WPL innings typically end before the lower-order tail gets significant batting time. Invest your budget in the top six and all-rounders who guarantee involvement.

For comprehensive fantasy strategy, explore our Dream11 captain picks guide that covers principles applicable to both WPL and IPL.

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Pitch Report and Weather

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

The Narendra Modi Stadium is the world's largest cricket ground, with a seating capacity of 132,000. Its sheer scale creates unique playing conditions — the boundaries are long, the ground is vast, and the atmosphere can be intimidating for visiting teams.

Surface Nature: The Ahmedabad pitch tends to be flat and batting-friendly in the early stages of the season. Late March conditions mean the surface has not yet dried out completely, offering true bounce and carry for batters. As the match progresses, the pitch can slow down slightly, bringing spinners into the game.

Average First-Innings Score (T20): Based on IPL and international T20 data at this venue, average first-innings scores hover around 155-165 runs. For WPL cricket, scores of 150-160 are expected to be competitive. The long boundaries mean clearing the rope requires genuine power — mishits that might be sixes at smaller grounds are caught at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Boundary Dimensions: The boundaries at this ground are among the longest in India. The straight boundary is approximately 82 meters, and the square boundaries are around 68-70 meters. This significantly impacts scoring patterns — batters score more through timing and running between wickets rather than clearing the boundary. All-rounders and players who rotate strike well are more valuable here than pure six-hitters.

Pace vs Spin: Fast bowlers enjoy good conditions in the first half of the match. The ball carries well to the wicketkeeper, and there is enough assistance for seam bowlers who hit good lengths. Spinners become increasingly effective as the match progresses, particularly off-spinners and wrist spinners who can extract turn from a wearing surface.

Weather Forecast

• Temperature: 30-33 degrees Celsius
• Humidity: 40-45%
• Rain Chance: Under 5% — clear sky
• Wind: Moderate breeze from the south, could assist boundaries on one side

Toss Factor: Evening matches in Ahmedabad see dew from around the 14th over of the second innings. This gives a noticeable advantage to the team batting second. Expect the toss-winning captain to bowl first and take advantage of dew in the chase.

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Match Prediction

This is a match between two evenly matched teams who are both looking to establish themselves as genuine WPL title contenders. Here is our analysis.

Why GG-W could win:

• Home advantage at the Narendra Modi Stadium — playing in front of a massive Ahmedabad crowd is energizing
• Ashleigh Gardner's all-round ability can single-handedly win matches, and she thrives in pressure situations
• Beth Mooney and Laura Wolvaardt together provide batting consistency and class
• GG-W's head-to-head advantage of 3-2 shows they tend to win when it matters against UPW
• Sneh Rana's bowling in the middle overs can control UPW's aggressive batters
• The long boundaries suit GG-W's batting style — they run well between wickets and rotate strike

Why UPW could win:

• Alyssa Healy's powerplay aggression can put GG-W under immediate pressure
• Deepti Sharma's bowling is tailor-made for the Ahmedabad pitch — her off-spin will grip and turn on this surface
• Tahlia McGrath's pace bowling with the new ball could trouble Mooney and Gardner early
• UPW's improving team culture and belief under Healy's leadership should not be underestimated
• Chamari Athapaththu's power hitting can overcome even the long boundaries at this venue
• UPW's historical success against GG-W has come in low-scoring games, and Ahmedabad's pitch could produce exactly that kind of match

Our Prediction: Gujarat Giants Women to win by 5 wickets

We expect this to be a tight, competitive match decided in the final overs. GG-W's home advantage and superior power hitting give them a slight edge, but this could genuinely go either way. The key matchup is Deepti Sharma bowling to Ashleigh Gardner — if Deepti can contain Gardner through the middle overs, UPW have a chance. If Gardner breaks free, it is game over.

We anticipate UPW batting first and posting 148-155, with GG-W chasing it down in 18-19 overs thanks to a Mooney anchored innings and a Gardner cameo in the middle.

Win Probability: GG-W 54% | UPW 46%

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FAQ

Who will win GG-W vs UPW WPL 2026 Match 5?

Gujarat Giants Women are marginal favorites for Match 5 of WPL 2026. Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium gives them home advantage, and their batting lineup featuring Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, and Laura Wolvaardt is formidable. However, UP Warriorz with Alyssa Healy and Deepti Sharma are dangerous opponents, and this match could go down to the wire.

Who should be Dream11 captain for GG-W vs UPW?

Ashleigh Gardner is our top captain pick. She bats in the top three, bowls 3-4 overs of off-spin, and is involved in almost every phase of the game. Her all-round points potential gives her the highest ceiling in this match. Alyssa Healy is the best vice-captain choice — she opens the batting, keeps wicket, and has a 145 strike rate in WPL powerplay overs.

What are the boundary dimensions at the Narendra Modi Stadium?

The Narendra Modi Stadium has some of the longest boundaries in Indian cricket. The straight boundary is approximately 82 meters, and the square boundaries are around 68-70 meters. These dimensions significantly impact scoring — batters need genuine power to clear the rope, and mishits that might be sixes at smaller venues are caught here. This makes timing, running between wickets, and stroke rotation more valuable than pure six-hitting.

Will dew affect the GG-W vs UPW match?

Yes, dew is expected from around the 14th over of the second innings in this evening match at Ahmedabad. The dew will make it harder for bowlers to grip the ball and execute variations, favoring the chasing team. The toss-winning captain is likely to choose to bowl first to exploit this advantage. If you are picking a Dream11 team, factor in that batters in the second innings may have slightly easier conditions.

Which team has the better bowling attack — GG-W or UPW?

UP Warriorz have the slightly better bowling attack overall. Deepti Sharma's economy of 6.2 in the WPL is the best in the tournament, and Tahlia McGrath provides genuine pace with the new ball. GG-W rely heavily on Sneh Rana and Ashleigh Gardner for their bowling, which can leave them exposed if both have off days. However, GG-W's bowling has improved with auction additions, making this closer than it has been in previous seasons.

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Explore more women's cricket content on CricJosh — start with our WPL 2025 season review and 2026 preview for the full picture of last season's results and this year's expectations. For player profiles, check out our biographies of Ash Gardner, Alyssa Healy, and Smriti Mandhana.