Bengaluru, Feb 28 Australia and Gujarat Giants batter Pheobe Litchfield heaped praise on young pacer Kashvee Gautam, who bowled a 1-17 spell against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in her side's six-wicket win in the WPL 2025 clash on Thursday.
Deandra Dottin and Tanuja Kanwar bagged two wickets each to restrict RCB to 125/7 in 20 overs as Gujarat won the toss and opted to bowl first.
"Our bowlers have been outstanding, they won us the game today for sure. Taking three wickets in the powerplay puts the opposition on the back foot. We've been in that situation ourselves in the last two games as a batting unit, so we know the pressure it creates. The way Kashvee (Gautam) and Deandra (Dottin) bowled up front was simply superb. I think Kashvee is going to be a real talent in the future. As an Aussie, I have to say - I'm a little scared! It's awesome to have her on our side in the WPL," Litchfield said on Amul Cricket Live on JioHotstar.
Chasing 126, Gujarat captain Ashleigh Gardner smashed 58 off 31 balls studded with three sixes and six fours while Litchfield remained unbeaten on 30 off 21 balls, including three fours and a six, to take the side over the line with 21 balls to spare.
Litchfield praised Gardner and said, "She's awesome. I think it's a nice taste of home when you're batting with her. She's very calm, very collected, and can take games away with her destructive batting. We needed a big over, and she pretty much provided that against the leg-spinner, getting us back to a run-a-ball rate. From there, it was just about finishing the chase. Her ability to captain, bowl well, and bat explosively is a huge asset for the team. We love having her on our side."
Discussing her personal goals for the WPL, Litchfield reflected on how she aims to evolve her game through the tournament. "I've used this platform to learn heaps. It’s one of the best tournaments in the world, featuring world-class players, and it’s a great challenge. Now that I’ve got my chance in the middle order, I hope to keep it," she said.
"Laura Wolvaardt is still knocking on the door with some amazing shots in the nets, so it’s a pretty competitive environment. But I’m glad to have this opportunity. With a World Cup coming up in a few months, I’m soaking up all the insights and tricks I can get in India while also enjoying the experience - because playing cricket here is the best thing ever! Tonight was a lot of fun," Litchfield added.
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