Beth Mooney delivered a scintillating unbeaten knock of 96 as the Gujarat Giants thrashed UP Warriorz by 81 runs in a one-sided Women's Premier League (WPL) clash on Monday. Mooney fell just short of what could have been the season’s first century, but her explosive 59-ball innings, laced with 17 boundaries, propelled the Gujarat Giants to a formidable 186/5.

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In response, UP Warriorz crumbled under pressure, managing only 105 in 17.1 overs. The crushing defeat saw them slip from third to fifth in the points table, while Gujarat Giants climbed from the bottom to second place.

Chasing 187, UP Warriorz suffered a disastrous start, slumping to 36/5 by the eighth over. Their batters struggled against the Giants' disciplined bowling attack, failing to mount any resistance.

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Deandra Dottin (2/14) set the tone with two crucial wickets in the very first over, dismissing Kiran Navgire and Georgia Voll for ducks. Kashvee Gautam (3/11), Meghna Singh (1/21), Tanuja Kanwar (3/17), and Ashleigh Gardner (1/9) further dismantled the fragile batting lineup.

Grace Harris was the only specialist batter to make an impact, scoring 25 off 30 balls, while Vrinda Dinesh (1), captain Deepti Sharma (6), and Shweta Sehrawat (5) failed to contribute meaningfully. A late 14-ball 28 from Chinelle Henry and a 17-run effort from Uma Chetry reduced the margin of defeat but could not prevent UPW’s collapse.

Earlier, the Gujarat Giants posted a competitive total, thanks to Mooney’s commanding innings. The left-handed Australian anchored the innings, forming a crucial 101-run partnership with Harleen Deol (45 off 32 balls, six fours) after an early setback with the dismissal of Dayalan Hemalatha (2).

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Mooney’s aggressive stroke play saw her dispatch boundaries at will, but she was left stranded on 96, falling just short of a well-deserved century. With 10 runs needed for the milestone in the final over, she could only manage five.

Sophie Ecclestone (2/34) was the standout bowler for UP Warriorz, taking the key wickets of Deol and the dangerous Deandra Dottin (17).