Losing key players dented our composition: Gujarat Giants mentor Mithali Raj | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Gujarat Giants‘ team mentor and former India captain Mithali Raj said that losing key players early in the Women’s Premier League campaign dented the team’s composition, resulting in its elimination from the inaugural tournament.
Gujarat were eliminated after losing their last match against UP Warriorz on Monday.
Gujarat’s head coach Rachel Haynes conceded that they had some tough moments, but also praised her team for showing a lot of character during the tournament.
Gujarat suffered a big blow to their prospects early in the tournament, when Australia opener and designated skipper Beth Mooney suffered a calf injury on the opening day of the tournament and missed the remainder of the WPL.
Even as the others stepped up, Gujarat Giants did miss a player of Mooney’s calibre throughout.

“Honestly, we did put up a good team, but the results were not in our favour and the season didn’t go our way. We lost key players early on, and it dented our composition. But despite this hiccup, the team stepped up and showed their grit and passion to win,” Mithali said in a press release issued by the Adani-owned franchise.
Talking about her debut stint as a head coach, Haynes said, “This was certainly an exciting and enriching experience for me as head coach for such a wonderful team.
“Undoubtedly, we had our tough moments, but the team put up a riveting performance and showed a lot of character during every match. We all are taking with us many positives and pivotal life-lessons from this inaugural session.”
After posting a challenging total against UPW, the Giants were done in by Grace Harris’s 41-ball 72, which propelled her team into the playoffs.
Haynes added, “As we take a step back and take a moment to pause and reflect at the season, it does hurt to lose out on key players before the end of the first game, and shuffling the deck in terms of playing combinations was not an easy decision, but this allowed every player to showcase their potential and we are happy about it.”
(With inputs from PTI)