NEW DELHI: Phoebe Litchfield's blistering 78 off 40 deliveries ultimately wasn't enough as Gujarat Giants edged past UP Warriorz by 10 runs in a run-fest of a Women's Premier League clash in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.

Opting to bat first, Gujarat Giants laid down a formidable marker, riding on a captain's knock from Ashleigh Gardner, who dazzled with a fluent 65. The innings gathered further momentum at the death thanks to Georgia Wareham's explosive unbeaten 27 off just 10 balls, powering the Giants to an imposing 207 for 4.

UP Warriorz mounted a spirited chase, led by Litchfield's fearless counterattack that kept the contest alive well into the latter stages. The Australian youngster smashed eight boundaries and cleared the ropes five times, but her dismissal in the 16th over proved to be the turning point, stalling the chase just when it threatened to tilt the game.

Despite a late flourish from Asha Sobhana, who hammered an unbeaten 27 off 10 balls, Warriorz could only reach 197 for 8, falling agonisingly short of the target.

Wareham capped off an excellent all-round outing by picking up two wickets for 30 runs with her leg-spin. Renuka Singh and Sophie Devine chipped in with two scalps apiece, while Gardner and Rajeshwari Gayakwad claimed one wicket each to seal the win for Gujarat Giants.

Warriorz began their chase of 208 on a shaky note with opener Kiran Navgire getting out in the fifth ball from Renuka. But captain and the other opener Meg Lanning (30 off 27 balls) and one-down Phoebe Litchfield steadied the innings with a 70-run stand for the second wicket.

Thereafter, the Warriorz suffered a mini collapse with three batters Lanning, Harleen Deol (0) and Deepti Sharma (1) getting out for the addition of just one run in the space of five balls. The Warriorz slumped to 74 for 4 in the 10th over from 73 for 1 in the ninth over.

There was a period of 69-run partnership between Litchfield and Shweta Sehrawat (25) but after that the Warriorz lost wickets in quick succession to lose the match.

Earlier, Gardner played a captain's knock to take Gujarat Giants to a big total.

Coming at the fall of opener Sophie Devine (38) in the sixth over, Gardner stitched 103 runs with Anushka Sharma (44 off 30 balls) for the third wicket to take her side past the 170-run mark. She struck six boundaries and three sixes in her 41-ball effort.

The Australian was out in the 18th over off the bowling of Sophie Ecclestone, but Wareham's stunning blitzkrieg, which had one four and three sixes, took Gujarat Giants past the 200-run mark.

Bharti Fulmali also remained not out on 14 off seven balls with the help of two sixes.

Ecclestone was the pick of the UP Warriorz bowling with figures of 2 for 32, while Shikha Pandey and Deandra Dottin got one wicket each.

Star Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma went wicket-less and conceded 32 runs in her three overs.

(With PTI Inputs)