Garner has been associated with the franchise since the league’s inception in 2023. Under her leadership in WPL 2025, the Giants finished third on the points table, recorded four wins from eight matches and qualified for the Eliminator. While the trophy remained out of their reach, the franchise showed signs of progress, prompting the management to back Gardner again for the 2026 season. The 2026 WPL starts on January 9, with Gujarat Giants set to open their campaign against UP Warriorz on January 10 at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
Gardner was retained for INR 3.50 crore ahead of the 2026 WPL
The all-rounder has been the best player for the Gujarat Giants in the past few seasons. In 25 WPL matches, she has scored 567 runs at an impressive strike rate of 141.75, including five half-centuries, while also picking up 25 wickets, making her the franchise’s leading run-scorer and wicket-taker. WPL 2025 proved to be Gardner’s most productive season with the bat. She scored 243 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 164.18 and picked up eight wickets.
The franchise has further strengthened its roster for WPL 2026. At the mega auction, they secured names like Sophie Devine for INR 2 crore, besides Georgia Wareham and Danielle Wyatt. Core players Beth Mooney and Gardner were retained, while Kashvee Gautam and Bharti Fulmali were brought back using the Right to Match option. Among the Indian players, Renuka Singh emerged as their biggest signing, with young talents like Titas Sadhu and Ayushi Soni added to the squad.
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