WPL 2023: Best starting XI of Gujarat Giants

The player auction for the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League concluded on February 13. The marquee event lived up to its billing and fans witnessed some breathtaking action. Gujarat Giants was one of the franchises who were new to the player auction dynamics but they were quite smart with their strategies and formed a formidable squad.

The Gujarat franchise went hammer and tongs to acquire Ashleigh Gardner and signed her for INR 3.2 crore, making her the joint-most expensive overseas player at the WPL 2023 auction. They have plenty of depth in their squad and could give the other teams a run for their money in the high-profile competition.

Here is the best starting XI of Gujarat Giants:

1. Beth Mooney 

Beth Mooney has been a bankable name in the international arena. She has featured in 57 ODIs and aggregated 1941 runs at an excellent average of 52.45. In the shortest format, the 29-year-old has plundered 2146 runs in 79 T20Is at a strike rate of 124.91.

Mooney has put up an exhibition of her swashbuckling stroke play and provided her side with crackling starts consistently. Moreover, she is safe with the gloves and has played the wicketkeeper role to perfection for Australia when Alyssa Healy has been unavailable.

Mooney was magnificent in the ODI series against Australia and plundered 191 runs in three games. Given she was in pristine touch leading into the auction, Gujarat Giants went all guns blazing to acquire her services and eventually signed her for INR 2 crore.