That's it from the last of the triple-header opening day of WBBL 2025! Join us back tomorrow as the bandwagon rolls on with our live coverage!
Until then, this is Anirudh Modi, signing off along with my colleagues Karthik Raj and Paras Yadav! See you at the next one.
NUMBERS GAME: This was the only instance of Sydney Sixers winning a WBBL game by 10 wickets. The only previous such instance was them defeating Hobart Hurricanes at MCG in 2016. On the other hand, this was the first ever time that Perth Scorchers lost a WBBL game by 10 wickets.
STAT ATTACK: Perth Scorchers bowed to Sydney Sixers with 43 balls to spare today. This equals their heaviest defeats by balls remaining in WBBL. They have lost twice against Brisbane Heat at W.A.C.A. Ground and North Sydney in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
BIGGEST WIN MARGINS FOR SYDNEY SIXERS IN WBBL (BY BALLS REMAINING):
43 vs Perth Scorchers, W.A.C.A. Ground, 2025, TODAY*
Ashleigh Gardner (Player of the Match): "It was obviously a lot of fun. We knew that the WACA was going to produce more bounce. So, looked to hit the right lengths. The capability this team has and the match-winners we have, clinical performance to kick-start the season.
(On the coach Ben Sawyer) I know how he works. What we expect from the team is to be ruthless. We want to go back 6-7 years and take the game on. Need to be composed when we are under pressure.
(Whether Caoimhe Bray was pestering her to get a bowl) She wasn't. She took a very good catch in the end. We have a lot of options. Mady Villiers is a very versatile spinner. I have got about seven options. (On Sophia Dunkley) She always has got a smile on her face. She is an absolute ripper. Pumped for her."
Player of the Match: Ashleigh Gardner
5:54 PM IST, 8:24 PM Local Time | A statement of domination from Sydney Sixers Women in their opening game of WBBL 2025! They thrash a hapless Perth Scorchers Women by 10 wickets to kick their season off with 2 points!
Perth Scorchers Women won the toss and elected to bat first! After a busy start from Katie Mack and Beth Mooney, one run-out gave the confidence to the Sydney Sixers Women to bundle them out for 109 after 19.3 overs! Mikayla Hinkley was their top scorer with 31 runs off 30 balls, as only one other batter managed to reach the 20 mark! For Sydney Sixers Women, Ashleigh Gardner was the destructor-in-chief, as she registered the best bowling figures by a Sixers Women's player in 5/15 from 4 overs to decimate the Perth batting lineup. Ellyse Perry chipped in with a couple of wickets, while Cheatle and Brown picked up a wicket each. Come the chase, the target was low, and the openers of Sydney Sixers were in no mood to give an inch to Perth. Both batters carried their bat through the chase to stay unbeaten and take their side to a brisk 10-wicket victory! Ellyse Perry fell short of her half-century as she stayed unbeaten on 47 runs off 37 balls, playing the perfect foil for the half-centurion Sophia Dunkley, who ended up unbeaten on 61 runs off 40 balls. Perth Scorchers Women will need to regroup after this big defeat, while Sydney Sixers Women will be ecstatic after a masterful performance both with the bat and the ball!