Gujarat Giants have once again shown faith in Ashleigh Gardner. The Australian all-rounder has been named captain for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season. The franchise confirmed that Gardner will continue in the leadership role after guiding the team in WPL 2025.
Gardner was retained for INR 3.50 crore ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction. She remains one of the most important players in the squad. The Giants will hope that her experience and match-winning ability can help them win their first WPL title.
Gardner has been with Gujarat Giants since the league started in 2023. She has grown into the face of the franchise over the years. In WPL 2025, she led the team to a third-place finish in the points table. Gujarat won four of their eight league matches and qualified for the Eliminator. Although they missed out on the trophy, the team showed clear improvement.
Strong Performances and a Strengthened Squad for Gujarat Giants in WPL 2026
Ashleigh Gardner has been Gujarat Giants’ top performer across seasons. In 25 WPL matches, she has scored 567 runs. She has maintained a strike rate of 141.75 and hit five half-centuries. With the ball, she has taken 25 wickets. This makes her both the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker for the franchise.
WPL 2025 was Gardner’s best season with the bat. She scored 243 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 164.18. She also contributed with eight wickets, proving her value as a true all-rounder.
Gujarat Giants have also built a strong squad for WPL 2026. At the mega auction, they signed Sophie Devine for INR 2 crore. Georgia Wareham and Danielle Wyatt were also added. Beth Mooney and Gardner were retained. Kashvee Gautam and Bharti Fulmali returned through the Right to Match option. Renuka Singh was the biggest Indian signing. Young players like Titas Sadhu and Ayushi Soni have also joined.
WPL 2026 will begin on January 9. Gujarat Giants will play their first match against UP Warriorz on January 10 in Navi Mumbai.
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