GG vs RCB, WPL 2023: 3 player battles to watch out for

A crucial match lies ahead for both the Gujarat Giants (GG) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as they lock horns in the sixth match of WPL 2023 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, March 8.

The two teams in question remain winless after having played two games each in WPL 2023. With games coming thick and fast, it is imperative that they bring their A-game to the fore and leave no stone unturned in playing their best cricket.

If GG and RCB are to stave off each other and register their first points, a lot could come down to certain critical matchups. Here, we look at three key player battles that could determine the way this contest shapes up.

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#1 Ashleigh Gardner vs Smriti Mandhana

When Harmanpreet Kaur opened the bowling with Hayley Matthews during the Mumbai Indians' clash against RCB, it was clear that the captain had done her homework. Off-spin is known to keep Smriti Mandhana quiet up top and the left-handed batter will have her task cut out again with Ashleigh Gardner waiting on Wednesday.

The Australian all-rounder has accounted for Mandhana's scalp six times in all T20s, with the latter averaging a mere 16.50 against her. If GG are to restrict a power-packed RCB batting unit, they will need to stop the opposition captain from running away with the game.

To that end, expect captain Sneh Rana to start with Gardner and make full use of the matchup in today's WPL 2023 clash.

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#2 Sophia Dunkley vs Renuka Thakur

With Beth Mooney nursing a knee injury, the onus to provide GG with a flying start falls on the shoulders of Sophia Dunkley. The dashing opener from England likes to take the game head-on and looked set for something similar in the game against UP Warriorz before Deepti Sharma cut her stint short.

Renuka Thakur hasn't picked up a wicket as of yet in WPL 2023 and has looked rather rusty in her two games so far. RCB seem heavily reliant on her at this point and they will hope that this evening is when she manages to generate a prodigious swing like she is reputed for.

Dunkley might average 50 against Thakur in T20Is, but she has gone at a strike rate of only 106.4 against her. Sets us up for a fascinating duel then, doesn't it?

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#3 Tanuja Kanwar vs Ellyse Perry

Left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar has been very impressive in her two games thus far for GG. She has looked penetrative and effective in the powerplay while keeping things simple and effective.

She could have a big task ahead of her with Ellyse Perry taking guard for RCB in today's WPL 2023 clash. The Aussie superstar hasn't gotten off the blocks as such, but with her reinvention as a T20 batter in recent times, she will look to keep the momentum going post the powerplay.

That's where GG can look at left-arm spin as an option to try and keep her on her toes, putting Kanwar in the mix. Neither player has faced the other in a competitive game yet, adding another layer of intrigue to this matchup.

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Who among RCB and GG will get off the mark in WPL 2023 today? Let us know in the comments section below!

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