Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

Women’s T20 Challenge: Velocity beat Supernovas by five-wickets

Sune Luus and Sushma Verma guided Velocity to a five-wicket win over defending champions Supernovas in the first match of the Women’s T20 Challenge at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Velocity won the opener in Sharjah. File photo

Bengaluru, Nov. 4: Sune Luus and Sushma Verma guided Velocity to a five-wicket win over defending champions Supernovas in the first match of the Women’s T20 Challenge at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

After opting to bowl first, Velocity restricted the Supernovas to a paltry 127. Following the bowlers’ clinical show, the batswomen got off to a terrible start as they aimed to chase down a small total. Ayabonga Khaka removed Danielle Wyatt in the very first over. And before the side could recover, Khaka struck in the third over to remove Shafali Verma (17), reducing Velocity to 17/2.

After the early blows, skipper Mithali Raj (7) and Veda Krisnamurthy (29) steadied the innings as they stitched together a 21-run partnership. But Shashikala Siriwardene removed Mithali for 7 to reduce the side to 38 for three.

1
9935-nonopta-22333

After losing early wickets, Sushma Verma (34) and Sune Luus (37) finally gave the side the much-needed partnership as they put up 51 runs. Though Verma lost her wicket in the penultimate over, Luus guided Velocity to their opening day win with one ball to spare.

Earlier, left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht scalped three batters as Velocity put up a disciplined bowling effort to restrict the defending champions to a modest 126 for eight in the opening match on Wednesday.

Apart from Bisht, New Zealand off-spinner Leigh Kasperek (2/23) and medium pacer Jahanara Alam (2/27) also contributed in stifling the holders.

Jahanara dismissed key batters -- Harmanpreet Kaur (31) and Chamara Atapattu (44) -- to derail Supernova. Sri Lankan T20 skipper Atapattu and her Indian counterpart Harmanpreet had seized control in the back end but their 47-run partnership was broken by Jahanara with Veda Krishnamurthy taking calm-headed skier in the long on.

Jahanara later dismissed Harmanpreet for 31 after the Indian skipper holed out at short fine leg. It triggered a collapse as the defending champions lost four wickets for 15 runs. Chamari slammed two sixes and two boundaries in a 39-ball 44, while Harmanpreet hit two sixes and one boundary.

Velocity made some early inroads with their spinner duo of Leigh Kasperek and Ekta Bisht dismissing Priya Punia (11) and Jemimah Rodrigues (7) inside eight overs. But Supernova took control in the back end with Chamari breaking free against Manali Dakshini.

The Sri Lankan T20 skipper hit Manali inside out over cover and in the next over pulled Kasperek over deep mid-wicket for her second six to lift the run-rate. But Chamari fell six runs short of a half-century as Supernovas failed to shift gear afterwards.

Following their win, Velocity will take on Trailblazers in their second match on Thursday (Nov. 5).

Brief Scores: Supernovas: 126 for 8 in 20 overs. (C Atapattu 44, Harmanpreet Kaur 31; E Bisht 3/22, L Kasperek 2/23). Velocity: 129 for 5 in 19.5 overs. (S Luus 37 not out, S Verma 34; A Khaka 2/27).

(With inputs from PTI & agencies)

Story first published: Thursday, November 5, 2020, 7:55 [IST]
Other articles published on Nov 5, 2020