Richa-Harleen power Team A’s 159-run chase against Team C in Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy
Team A captain Harleen Deol and wicket-keeper-batter Richa Ghosh dazzle in the high scoring match against Team C that saw over 300 runs being scored on Thursday in Ranchi.
After conceding 158 runs in the first innings, Team A did not drop their shoulders in the latter half of the match. Led by their skipper Deol (48), Team A chased down the total in 19.3 overs with five wickets in hand. Despite losing the opening pair in Priya Punia (7) and Trisha Poojitha (3) cheaply inside three overs to right arm seamer Titas Sadhu (2/29), Team A banked on the experience of Deol and Ghosh (60) to bail them out. The duo put their heads down and stitched a crucial 68-run partnership for the third wicket. Yamuna Rana (2/21) managed to dismiss Ghosh in the 18th over but it was too late in the day.
The bowlers of Team C may have failed to defend a competitive score of 158, but the batters did a decent job in the first innings to set a challenging target. Opener Shweta Sehrawat top scored with 48 off 40. Her opening partner Vrinda Dinesh played an attacking knock as she bludgeoned 30 from just 17 balls, hammering five fours and a six. Sehrawat and Dinesh put together 46 runs in 3.5 overs and provided a perfect start. After the fall of Dinesh, Tripti Singh (32) combined forces with Sehrawat to add another 62 runs for the second wicket. From being 108/2 in 13.1 overs, Team C could only manage to score 50 runs in the last seven overs. Despite having eight wickets in hand, Team C could not capitalise on the fiery start given to them by their top order.
Team A did not have that one bowler who wreaked havoc with the ball, but depended on their seven options, of which four picked one wicket apiece. Arundhati Reddy (1/36), Saika Ishaque (1/22), Hani Patel (1/20), and Mita Paul (1/19) were among the wickets.
So far, both teams have played three matches. While Team A have won two, Team C have just a solitary win under their belt. In search of a desperate win, Team C will lock horns against Team E on Saturday, and Team A, on the other hand will clash against Team D on Monday.
Brief Scores: Team C 158/5 in 20 overs (S Sehrawat 48; H Patel 1/20) lost to Team A 161/5 in 19.3 overs (R Ghosh 60; T Sadhu 2/29) by 5 wickets