Watch: Shabnam Shakil of Gujarat Giants dismissed Alyssa Healy and Chamari Athapaththu in the first over of UP Warriorz innings in Delhi.

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Gujarat Giants made 152-8 in a crucial WPL 2024 league match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium after Beth Mooney won the toss and opted to bat. Mooney herself batted through the 20 overs to make 77 not out in 52 balls, while her opening partner Laura Wolvaardt got 43 in 30.

Sophie Ecclestone returned 3-38, but 21 of those runs came in her final over, when Mooney smashed five fours. Deepti Sharma finished with 2-22. Mooney then asked Shabnam Shakil to bowl the first over. Shakil was only 15 when she was part of the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup winning side for India in 2023. Earlier this season against the Delhi Capitals, Shakil became the youngest player in the WPL history, at only 16 years 263 days.

Against UP, Shakil began with an overpitched ball outside the off-stump, and Alyssa Healy promptly put it away for four. Healy pushed the second ball safely but was too early in her stroke off the third, and the ball ballooned to Mannat Kashyap at mid off.

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu defended the fourth ball of the over. The fifth moved away from her and beat her outside edge. Shakil moved the last ball away as well, and Ash Gardner held Athapaththu’s mistimed shot at extra cover.

UP were left reeling at 4-2 after the first over. At the other end, Kathryn Bryce took out Kiran Navgire with her second ball, while Gardner got Grace Harris in the fourth over. Shakil bowled Shweta Sehrawat with the last ball of her spell to finish with 3-11, leaving UP at 35-5 after seven overs.

In all, Shakil bowled 19 dot balls in her spell, equalling the WPL record shared by Hayley Matthews, Marizanne Kapp, and Shabnim Ismail. Kapp, Ismail, and Shakil all bowled their spells against UP in the space of two weeks. Gujarat Giants secured a narrow victory in the fixture, despite a stunning 88* off 66 balls from Deepti Sharma.

Watch Shabnam Shakil dismiss Alyssa Healy, Chamari Athapaththu in the first over:

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