Pooja Vastrakar took 4/12 as Supernovas recorded a big 49-run win over Trailblazers in the first match of Women’s T20 Challenge 2022 on Monday.
Chasing 164, Trailblazers were off to a solid start before Vastrakar triggered a collapse. Captain Smriti Mandhan was their top-scorer with 34 while Jemimah Rodtigues made 24 and Hayley Matthews Scored 18.
Earlier, Hayley Matthews and Salma Khatun spun their web around Supernovas batters as they bowled them out for 163 in 20 overs.
Deandra Dottin and Priya Punia threw the kitchen sink at everything to put on 50 runs for the opening wicket of five overs.
It needed something special from the Trailblazers to separate the duo and Bangladesh’s Sharmin Akter Supta produced it.
Supta produced a direct hit and sent back the dangerous Dottin, who scored 32 off a mere 17 balls with five fours and one six.
A couple of overs later, Hayley Matthews accounted for the wicket of Punia, who scored a well-made 22. Harleen Deol came out with a lot of intent and scored 35 runs off 19 balls before the wily Salma Khatun trapped her plumb in front.
South Africa skipper Sune Luus failed to gain any momentum and eventually fell prey to Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Alana King, who has Indian roots in Chennai, started with a four after which Khatun pinned her. In the death overs, Harmanpreet Kaur wielded the willow to good effect and scored 37 off 29.
However, the rub of the green didn’t go her way as she was run out in the penultimate over. Pooja Vastrakar’s handy 14-run knock helped the Supernovas post 163 on the board.
Matthews was the standout bowler for the Trailblazers with three wickets. Renuka Singh and Arundhati Reddy failed to make a breakthrough.
Brief Scores: Supernovas 163 all out (Harmanpreet Kaur 37, Harleen Deol 35; Hayley Matthews 3-29) beat Trailblazers 114/9 (Smriti Mandhana 34, Jemimah Rodrigues 24; Pooja Vastrakar 4-12) by 49 runs.
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