Left-arm pacer Ahilya Chandel scripts history for Japan in the ACC Women’s Premier Cup
The ongoing edition of the ACC Women’s Premier Cup commenced on 10th February 2024 and will conclude on 18th February 2024. A total of 16 teams, divided into four groups are participating in the tournament. We witnessed a super rare moment in the 14th match of the season between China and Japan.
The 21-year-old left-arm pacer from Japan Ahilya Chandel created history as she became the first player from the country and overall the fourth player to bag a double hat-trick (four wickets in four balls) against China. She joins a unique list of players to achieve this rare feat. Anuradha Doddaballapur (Germany): (3-2-1-5) Vs Austria, 14th August 2020, Shameelah Mosweu (Botswana): (4-1-3-6) Vs Mozambique, 10th September 2021, and Thipatcha Putthawong (3.5-0-8-5) Vs Netherlands, 14th July 2023 were the other bowlers to achieve the feat.
China skipper Huang Zhuo won the toss and opted to bat first against Japan. The Chinese openers got off to a cautious start scoring at 3 runs per over before they lost the wicket of the wicket-keeper batter Zi Mei. Nonoha Yasumoto to provide the first breakthrough for Japan. Han Lili joined Sun Meng Yao at the crease and the duo stitched a 17-run partnership for the 2nd wicket before Erika Toguchi-Quinn picked up the wicket of the opening batter Sun Meng Yao to provide the 2nd breakthrough for Japan.
Skipper Huang Zhuo joined Han Lili at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 27-run partnership for the 3rd wicket before Kurumi Ota picked up the big wicket of the opposition skipper Huang Zhuo to provide the 3rd breakthrough for her side. The Chinese Women’s team suffered a collapse triggered by Ahilya Chandel as they lost their last seven wickets for just 16 runs and as a result, they were bundled out for 75 with one ball to spare. Ahilya Chandel picked up a double hattrick claiming four scalps in four balls.
Han Lili (29 off 41 balls) and Sun Meng Yao (15 off 26 balls) were the top performers with the bat for China. Ahilya Chandel (2.5-0-8-4), and Kurumi Ota (4-0-15-2) were the top performers with the ball for Japan. Chasing a target of 76, Japan lost the wicket of Hinase Goto in the 4th over of the run chase. Mengting Liu provided the first breakthrough for China. Shimako Kato joined Erika Oda at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 30-run partnership for the 2nd wicket before Yang Yu Xuan cleaned up Shimako Kato to provide the 2nd breakthrough for Japan.
Japan kept losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually chased down the total with four wickets in hand and nine balls to spare. Erika Oda (31 off 26 balls) and Shimako Kato (17 off 27 balls) were the top performers with the bat for Japan. Mengting Liu (4-1-15-3) and Yang Yu Xuan (4-0-16-2) were the top performers with the ball for China. The 21-year-old left-arm pacer Ahilya Chandel the history maker for Japan was awarded the Player of the Match for her exceptional performance (2.5-0-8-4) with the ball.