WPL 2025: Why Deandra Dottin Is Not Playing Eliminator Against Mumbai Indians; Explained

The Gujarat Giants (GG) have been dealt a major setback ahead of their all-important Women’s Premier League 2025 (WPL 2025) Eliminator clash against Mumbai Indians (MI). Their star all-rounder, Deandra Dottin, has been ruled out due to a last-minute fitness concern. This unexpected development has left GG scrambling to adjust their game plan, with Danielle Gibson stepping in as her replacement.

Details of the Injury Setback of Deandra Dottin

Ashleigh Gardner, GG’s captain, confirmed at the toss that Dottin’s injury occurred just five minutes before the toss while players were warming up at the Cricket Club of India’s (CCI) Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. This unfortunate timing meant that GG had no choice but to make a forced change just before the high-stakes game.

Gardner stated during toss, “Dani Gibson comes in for Deandra Dottin. It happened five minutes ago because of an injury. Really unfortunate for such a big game, but stoked for Danielle who makes her debut. It’s a pretty cool opportunity and hopefully she can shine. Generally it’s high-scoring. Might be a little bit in the wicket early. Everyone’s super excited. We’ve played some really good cricket in this tournament. Apart from excitement, I’m sure there a lot of nerves as well in the camp as we’ve not been here before.”

Deandra Dottin’s Contribution in WPL 2025

Dottin has been instrumental in Gujarat Giants’ first-ever qualification for the WPL playoffs. Having scored 142 runs in eight innings at an impressive strike rate of 154.34 and also taking nine wickets in eight matches, her all-round performances have been crucial in GG’s campaign.

With Dottin out, English all-rounder Danielle Gibson has been drafted into the XI. Although a talented player, she has big shoes to fill in such a crucial knockout fixture.

Deandra Dottin’s Previous Controversy in WPL

This is not the first time Dottin has had issues with her participation in WPL. In 2023, despite being signed by GG, she was ruled out due to an alleged injury. However, this led to a major controversy as the player refuted claims that she was unfit, raising questions about the team’s decision-making process.

Gujarat Giants’ Journey to the Playoffs

GG has had an eventful run in WPL 2025, battling their way into the playoffs. Their resilience and strong performances in key matches helped them secure a spot in the Eliminator. Ashleigh Gardner opted to bowl first, citing the freshness of the pitch and their strong bowling performance in the previous match.

MI’s Journey to the Playoffs

MI, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, are no strangers to high-pressure matches. Having won the inaugural WPL title in 2023, they bring experience and composure to this contest. Harmanpreet Kaur revealed that MI also preferred to bowl first but were happy to set a target. Mumbai Indians have received a boost with Saika Ishaque’s return to the XI. Her ability to trouble batters with spin could be a game-changer, especially against GG’s middle order.

Harman stated during toss, “Yeah it’s a fresh pitch (would MI have bowled first as well?). For us, anything was okay. We have been in this situation twice and know how important this game is. Only thing which works well is when you stay in the moment. One change – Parunika is not playing and Saika is back.”

Gujarat Giants’ Chances without Dottin

Without Dottin, GG faces a daunting task. Her ability to accelerate the scoring and contribute with the ball will be missed. Players like Beth Mooney and Gardner will need to step up.

The winner of this Eliminator will face Delhi Capitals in the grand finale on March 15, 2025. Both teams have everything to play for, making this contest a must-watch.

Playing XIs

Mumbai Indians playing XI: Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Amanjot Kaur, Yastika Bhatia (wk), S Sajana, G Kamalini, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque

Gujarat Giants playing XI: Beth Mooney (wk), Kashvee Gautam, Harleen Deol, Ashleigh Gardner (capt), Phoebe Litchfield, Danielle Gibson, Bharti Fulmali, Simran Shaikh, Tanuja Kanwar, Meghna Singh, Priya Mishra