WPL 2025: Why is MI-W bowler Saika Ishaque not playing against GJ-W? - Explained

Mumbai Indians Women made two changes to their XI against Gujarat Giants Women in Match 5 of the Women's Premier League 2025 at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. They handed debut caps to G. Kamalini and Parunika Sisodia, both of whom were crucial components of India Women Under-19's World Cup winning side.

Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to field first. 

"We are going to bowl first. The first six overs are very important bowling first, and we want to utilize that advantage. We played very good cricket and we were in the game till the last ball and today, we are playing 2 debutants. Parunika is playing in place of Saika Ishaque. Kamilini is also playing. They are very motivated and [I am] looking forward to playing with them," shared Harmanpreet at the toss.

Saika Ishaque, WPL's leading wicket-taker when it comes to Indian players to have participated in the tournament up until the commencement of the ongoing game, made way for Sisodia in a like-for-like switch. The wily left-arm spinner was unable to find her length in her side's opening game of the season. She ended up conceding 43 runs in the three overs she bowled, returning wicketless in a game which went right down to the wire.

On the other hand, the Ashleigh Gardner-led Gujarat Giants Women named an unchanged XI from their previous encounter.

"We were also going to bowl. We know it is hard to defend here. In the first game, we put up 200 and that is a very defendable total and if we can put up a similar score tonight, there is no reason why we can't defend. We are playing with the same XI," stated Gardner. 

Playing XIs

Gujarat Giants Women: Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, Simran Shaikh, Tanuja Kanwar, Sayali Satghare, Kashvee Gautam, Priya Mishra

Mumbai Indians Women: Yastika Bhatia (wk), Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), G. Kamalini, Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, Amanjot Kaur, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Parunika Sisodia