Australian cricketer Beth Mooney has been appointed as the captain of the Adani Group owned Gujarat Giants ahead of the inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL), beginning on March 4. Indian all-rounder Sneh Rana will serve as the team's vice-captain. Mooney is a dominant wicket-keeper-batter and has led her team to victory in several major tournaments, including the Women's T20 World Cup in 2018, 2020, and 2023, the Women's ODI World Cup in 2022, and the Gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She has scored over 2,350 runs in her career so far, including two centuries and 17 half-centuries.
In a statement issued by the franchise, Mooney said she was delighted to lead the Adani Gujarat Giants in the WPL's inaugural edition, adding that the squad is eager to put out an entertaining and effective brand of cricket to win the trophy. She expressed her excitement about having Sneh as her deputy and having Mithali Raj, Rachael Haynes, and Nooshin Al Khadeer as pivotal parts of the team. Sneh Rana, the vice-captain of the team, is a recognized face in Indian cricket and is known for her tenacity and picking up important wickets. She has previously played for Velocity in the Women's T20 Challenge and has bagged 24 wickets in T20Is.
The head coach, Rachael Haynes, expressed her excitement about having Mooney and Rana as part of the team, calling them both very well-established players who will undoubtedly help the team put their best foot forward. The Gujarat Giants will play their first match on the opening day of the league against the Mumbai Indians. The Women's Premier League is an exciting new tournament that will bring together some of the world's best women cricketers, and fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the tournament.
Gujarat Giants Squad: Beth Mooney (Captain), Sneh Rana (Vice-Captain), Ashleigh Gardner, Sophia Dunkley, Annabel Sutherland, Harleen Deol, Deandra Dottin, S Meghana, Georgia Wareham, Mansi Joshi, Dayalan Hemalatha, Monica Patel, Tanuja Kanwer, Sushma Verma, Hurley Gala, Ashwani Kumari, Parunika Sisodia, Shabman Shakil.