Gujarat Giants Women Team Profile WPL 2026: Squad, Key Players & Season Review

Gujarat Giants Women have been on a steady upward trajectory since the inception of the Women's Premier League. While the franchise has yet to lift the trophy, WPL 2026 showed clear signs that the Giants are building a squad capable of challenging for the title in the near future. With Beth Mooney providing Australian class at the top, Ashleigh Gardner delivering match-winning all-round performances, and Deepti Sharma anchoring the Indian contingent, GG-W are a franchise on the rise.

This detailed team profile covers the Gujarat Giants Women squad for WPL 2026, examines their key players, reviews the season that was, and looks ahead to what comes next. For match predictions and WPL analysis, visit our WPL 2026 hub.

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GG Women Full Squad for WPL 2026

Gujarat Giants Women invested heavily in Australian talent at the auction while also building a strong Indian foundation. The result is a squad with genuine depth in both batting and bowling departments.

Indian Players

Player	Role	Batting	Bowling
Deepti Sharma	All-rounder	Left-hand	Right-arm off-break
Harleen Deol	Batter	Right-hand	—
Dayalan Hemalatha	All-rounder	Right-hand	Right-arm off-break
Sneh Rana	All-rounder	Right-hand	Right-arm off-break
Poonam Yadav	Bowler	Right-hand	Right-arm leg-break
Mannat Kashyap	Bowler	Right-hand	Right-arm medium
Bharti Fulmali	Batter	Left-hand	—
Priya Mishra	Bowler	Right-hand	Right-arm leg-break

Overseas Players

Player	Country	Role
Beth Mooney (C)	Australia	Batter / WK
Ashleigh Gardner	Australia	All-rounder
Annabel Sutherland	Australia	All-rounder
Kim Garth	Ireland	All-rounder

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Captain Profile: Beth Mooney

Beth Mooney is one of the most consistent batters in women's T20 cricket. The Australian left-hander combines textbook technique with the ability to accelerate through the gears, making her a perfect anchor at the top of the order. As captain, Mooney leads by example — her work ethic and professionalism set the standard for the entire Gujarat Giants squad.

WPL 2026 stats:

• Runs: 350 in 10 innings
• Average: 38.88
• Strike Rate: 128.67
• Fifties: 3
• Highest Score: 78

Mooney's captaincy style is pragmatic. She does not take unnecessary risks, preferring to build pressure through consistent dot balls and tight fielding before unleashing her attacking options. It is an approach that serves GG-W well in the group stages, though critics argue it can be too conservative in knockout situations.

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Key Players to Watch

Ashleigh Gardner (Australia)

Ashleigh Gardner is the X-factor in the Gujarat Giants lineup. The powerful Australian all-rounder can single-handedly win matches with either bat or ball, and in WPL 2026, she did both on multiple occasions. Gardner's off-spin is deceptive — she varies her pace expertly, and her arm ball has dismissed some of the best batters in the tournament.

With the bat, Gardner's ability to clear the boundary from ball one makes her one of the most dangerous middle-order players in the WPL. She scored 280 runs at a strike rate of 152, including three match-defining cameos that turned games in GG-W's favour.

Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma is the most valuable Indian player in the Gujarat Giants squad. The experienced all-rounder provides reliable off-spin bowling in the middle overs, often bowling her full quota of four overs for less than 25 runs while picking up key wickets. Her batting at number five or six adds solidity to the middle order.

In WPL 2026, Deepti took 11 wickets at an economy rate of 5.90 — the best economy among regular bowlers in the tournament. Her control and consistency allowed Mooney to use the other bowlers more aggressively, knowing Deepti would always deliver her overs on budget.

Annabel Sutherland (Australia)

The young Australian pace-bowling all-rounder is developing into one of the most complete cricketers in the women's game. Sutherland bowls with genuine pace and bounce, making her a handful on any surface. Her batting at number seven gives GG-W lower-order depth that most franchises lack.

Harleen Deol

The Indian batter is one of the most naturally talented stroke-players in the country. Harleen Deol's WPL 2026 was a season of growth — she scored 250 runs batting at number three, often providing the crucial link between the openers and the power-hitters. Her fielding was also outstanding, with two spectacular catches that went viral on social media.

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WPL 2026 Season Review

Gujarat Giants Women had a mixed WPL 2026 campaign, showing flashes of brilliance interspersed with frustrating inconsistency.

Stat	Value
Matches Played	10
Won	4
Lost	6
Highest Team Score	175/5 vs UP Warriorz
Best Individual Score	Ashleigh Gardner — 85 off 42 balls
Top Wicket-Taker	Deepti Sharma — 11 wickets
Best Economy	Deepti Sharma — 5.90

Season Highlights

Gardner's demolition of UP Warriorz: Ashleigh Gardner smashed 85 off 42 balls against UP Warriorz in a performance that showcased her devastating power. She hit seven sixes — the most by any player in a single WPL 2026 innings.

Deepti's spell against MI-W: Deepti Sharma returned figures of 4/18 against Mumbai Indians Women, her best WPL figures ever. She dismissed both Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt in the same over, swinging the match decisively in GG-W's favour.

Mooney's anchoring masterclass: In the must-win match against DC-W, Beth Mooney batted through the innings for 78 off 60 balls, guiding GG-W to a competitive total on a difficult pitch. It was captaincy by example at its finest.

What Went Wrong

The Gujarat Giants' biggest problem in WPL 2026 was their death bowling. Without a specialist yorker bowler or a reliable death-overs option, GG-W consistently leaked runs in the final four overs, undoing the good work done by Deepti Sharma and Gardner in the middle overs.

The other concern was the over-reliance on overseas players. When both Mooney and Gardner failed in the same match, GG-W struggled to post competitive totals. The Indian batting depth beyond Deepti and Harleen needs significant improvement.

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Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

• Spin bowling excellence: Deepti Sharma, Ashleigh Gardner, and Poonam Yadav give GG-W three quality spin options that can dominate on turning surfaces
• Australian core: Mooney, Gardner, and Sutherland provide experience, quality, and versatility from the overseas contingent
• Middle-overs control: GG-W conceded the fewest runs between overs 7 and 14 of any team in WPL 2026
• Batting depth through all-rounders: With Deepti, Gardner, and Sutherland all capable of batting contributions, GG-W's tail rarely wags early

Weaknesses

• Death bowling: The final four overs remain a massive weakness that cost GG-W multiple matches
• Powerplay batting: GG-W's run rate in the first six overs was the lowest in the tournament — they start too slowly, putting pressure on the middle order
• Indian batting depth: Beyond Deepti Sharma and Harleen Deol, the Indian batters in the squad have not contributed consistently
• Chasing record: GG-W won only 1 out of 5 matches batting second — a chasing win rate of 20% that must improve

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Predicted Playing XI for WPL 2026

No.	Player	Role
1	Beth Mooney (C/WK)	Opener
2	Bharti Fulmali	Opener
3	Harleen Deol	No. 3
4	Ashleigh Gardner	No. 4 / Off-spin
5	Deepti Sharma	No. 5 / Off-spin
6	Dayalan Hemalatha	No. 6
7	Annabel Sutherland	No. 7 / Pace
8	Kim Garth	No. 8 / Pace
9	Sneh Rana	Off-spin
10	Poonam Yadav	Leg-spin
11	Mannat Kashyap	Pace

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Looking Ahead

Gujarat Giants Women need to address their death bowling and powerplay batting before they can genuinely challenge for the WPL title. The core of Mooney, Gardner, Deepti, and Sutherland is strong enough to build around, but the franchise needs to find Indian pacers who can deliver at the death and an aggressive opening partner for Mooney.

The good news is that the foundation is solid. With smart recruitment and continued development of their Indian players, GG-W could make a serious title push in WPL 2027.

For all WPL coverage and analysis, follow our WPL 2026 hub.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who captains Gujarat Giants Women in WPL 2026?

Beth Mooney captains Gujarat Giants Women in WPL 2026. The Australian wicketkeeper-batter leads from the front with consistent run-scoring and pragmatic tactical decisions.

Who are the key players for Gujarat Giants Women?

The key players for GG Women are Beth Mooney (captain, opener), Ashleigh Gardner (all-rounder with explosive batting and off-spin), Deepti Sharma (India's most experienced all-rounder with the best economy in the tournament), and Annabel Sutherland (pace-bowling all-rounder).

How did Gujarat Giants Women perform in WPL 2026?

Gujarat Giants Women won 4 out of 10 matches in WPL 2026, missing out on the knockout stages. Their main issues were death bowling and a poor chasing record, winning only 1 out of 5 matches while batting second.

What are the weaknesses of Gujarat Giants Women?

The biggest weaknesses for GG Women are their death bowling, slow powerplay batting, lack of Indian batting depth beyond Deepti Sharma and Harleen Deol, and a poor record when chasing targets in WPL 2026.