Mumbai: The much-hyped women’s exhibition T20 match had an exciting finish but failed to attract sizeable crowd on a sultry Tuesday afternoon despite the presence of the world’s top women cricketers. For the record, Supernovas chased down a target of 130 in a last-ball finish.
Needing 10 runs in last two overs, Ellyse Perry (13 not out) struck a boundary off Ekta Bisht but Mona Meshram (4) was run out by Smriti Mandhana off the last bowl of the penultimate over. Needing four off the last over, New Zealand international Suzie Bates conceded just a single in the first three deliveries bringing the equation down to run-a-ball. A composed Pooja Vastrakar (2 not out), who hails from Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, lofted to mid-wicket and completed a single to ensure a win for her side.
While a women’s IPL is a novel idea, the response at ground zero was a testimony that BCCI still has some way to go before the idea takes a final shape. The lukewarm response was largely due to timing of the match as Mumbaikars decided to conserve their energies for the 7pm cracker.
Also, the BCCI diluted the concept, allowing all players from either side to take part in the match.
India’s ODI captain Mithali Raj decided against fielding, something that didn’t go unnoticed considering the likes of Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Sophie Devine showed utmost professionalism in adverse weather conditions.
Back to the match, chasing 130, veteran Mithali (22) and Dani Wyatt conjured a 47-run-stand for the opening wicket. Mithali stuck a six, the first of the match and followed it with a boundary in the fifth over. But spinner Ekta Bisht broke the stand removing Mithali, who was caught by Lea Tahuhu. But as it looked that Wyatt was taking the game away from Trailblazers, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav cut short her stay at the crease.
Earlier, Bates (32 off 37 balls) and Rodrigues (25 off 23 balls) added 45 runs for the fifth wicket to ensure a decent total for the Trailblazers.
