'Thought It Was Gujarat's Home Ground': Smriti Mandhana Gets Thrilled By Loud Cheers During WPL 2025 Opening Match

The third season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 begins today with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru facing Gujarat Giants in the opening match at Vadodara.

At the toss, RCB captain Smriti Mandhana and Gujarat Giants skipper Ashleigh Gardner were present. Smriti won the toss and chose to bowl first, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. She was thrilled by the support, saying,

"I thought it was Gujarat's home ground, but it looks like it's ours!" She also mentioned that playing in Vadodara again felt great and highlighted the impact of dew as a key factor in choosing to field first. 

"It's a fresh wicket, the first match of the season, and dew could play a big role. We saw it last night. Our preparations have been good, and we want to win the title again, but we must give our best," she added.

Gujarat Giants starts well in season opener

At the time of writing, Gujarat Giants were 68/2 after 10 overs. Beth Mooney became the first player of the season to score a half-century and remained unbeaten, while skipper Ashleigh Gardner was not out on 5. For RCB, Renuka Singh Thakur and Kanika Ahuja took one wicket each.