SN women and VL women locked horns in the title clash of the Women’s T20 Challenge 2022 at the MCA Stadium in Pune. In the high-pressure game, the Purple Brigade won the toss and elected to field first. Little did they know that their decision was going to prove costly. Opposition openers, Priya Punia and Deandra Dottin, stitched a partnership of 73 runs in 9.3 overs. Punia (28) was caught at backward point by Laura Wolvaardt off Simran Bahadur.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur came in and added another 58 runs with Dottin in just 5.3 overs. The Windies batter scored 62 off 44 balls including four sixes and a four. She was then the second wicket to fall as she was clean bowled, while trying to play a sweep shot on a full-length ball from the opposition skipper Deepti Sharma. This triggered a collapse and the run-scoring slowed down. From 131/2 in 15 overs, the team was only able to get to 165/7 at the end of the innings.
Kaur scored 43 off 29 balls including three sixes and a four. For the Deepti Sharma-led side, Kate Cross, Sharma, and Simran Bahadur took two wickets each while Ayabonga Khaka took one. In reply, VL women had an explosive start as Shafali Verma and Yastika Bhatia scored 29 runs in just 2.1 overs. Verma, who scored 15 off eight balls, couldn’t capitalize on the start as she was caught behind by Taniya Bhatia off Dottin.
After this, the team lost their way in the chase and start losing wickets at regular intervals. Yastika Bhatia (13 off nine) followed after Varma in the fourth over as she was caught and bowled by Sophie Ecclestone. In the last over of the powerplay, Kiran Prabhu, who couldn’t score a run in her 13-ball stay, became the second victim of Ecclestone. On the last ball of the ninth over, Pooja Vastrakar trapped Natthakan Chantham (6) lbw as well.
Wolvarrdt, who came out to bat after Prabhu’s wicket, scored 65 off 40 balls including five fours and three sixes. She took the team close in what appeared to be a one-sided game. However, she couldn’t take the team over the line as they lost the game by four runs.
This is how Twitter reacted
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Similar innings from RCB in Qualifier 2 and Supernovas in the final!#IPL2022 #WT20Challenge #SNOvVEL pic.twitter.com/aqVjsInnLp
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 28, 2022
.@Dottin_5 goes boom boom in a big match yet again!#SNOvVEL #WT20Challenge pic.twitter.com/LhDzFr8mYZ
— Women’s CricZone (@WomensCricZone) May 28, 2022
Harmanpreet Kaur today becomes the first cricketer to play 10 matches in Women's T20 Challenge.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) May 28, 2022
Wolvi. The big match player. Each of her shots are pleasing! #SNOvVEL
— Devjani (@CricketKenway) May 28, 2022
65(40) by Laura with 5 fours and 3 sixes.. That's great batting by @LauraWolvaardt .. Well done Velocity.. ??#WomensT20Challenge #WT20Challenge #My11CircleWT20C https://t.co/sr5G6OEkC5
— Asheesh (@Asheesh00007) May 28, 2022
Thriller final,what a match, congratulations SUPERNOVAS for third title,VELOCITY you won hearts? #WT20Challenge
— Akshay Purohit (@AkshayP59844250) May 28, 2022
And I don't know why some people are like women's can't play cricket, boring matches and other nonsense stuffs.
This #WT20Challenge was a revelation I feel.
Out of the 8 innings 7 innings went for 150+. Lots of young talents in India and all over the world just a bit backing.— Harmanpreet_fan (@sinha0318) May 28, 2022
What a thriller!! What a finish ??
Both teams played well but #Supernovas come out as better team ??
3rd title for #Supernovas ??#My11CircleWT20C#WT20Challenge— Sadaf Shamim (@imSadafShamim) May 28, 2022
Appreciate the way how they fight#WT20Challenge #Final
— Mohd Haroon (@i___haroon) May 28, 2022
https://twitter.com/IamGmishra/status/1530606933383663616?s=20&t=AFr7wI29dDuI0UvHAlIVyQ
