In the Senior Women’s Multi-Day Challenger Trophy, Team A won the toss and elected to field first at Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun, looking to exploit the pitch conditions early on.
Their decision proved effective as they managed to put early pressure on Team C’s batting lineup. The innings began with Team C losing their opener, Riya Chaudhari, for just 11 runs off 32 balls as she was dismissed lbw by Arundhati Reddy.
The promising batter and last match centurion, Shafali Verma, known for her aggressive stroke play, tried to build a foundation with a fighting 40 off 57 balls and was involved in a crucial partnership of 50 off 70 with Tanushree Sarkar, but Verma was dismissed at a crucial juncture, caught by Vasavi Akhila Pavani off Minu Mani’s bowling.
With the team struggling at 80/2, there was a need for a strong partnership, and it came in the form of Jemimah Rodrigues and Tanushree Sarkar, who turned the game around with an impressive 158-run stand for the third wicket. Rodrigues played a captain’s knock, scoring a well-crafted 71 off 105 deliveries, anchoring the innings while Sarkar held firm at the other end. However, just as Team C looked set to take control, Rodrigues fell, caught by Tanuja Kanwer off Minu Mani, leaving the team at 238/3.
Following Rodrigues’ dismissal, the innings unraveled quickly, exposing the fragile middle order. Tejal Hasabnis (0) and Sushree Dibyadarshini (0) fell in quick succession, both dismissed by Minu Mani, pushing Team C from a strong position to 244/5.
Even though Sarkar fought bravely at the other end, carrying her bat through the innings with an incredible 153* off 278 balls, but lack of support from the lower order meant that Team C failed to build on their foundation.
Contributions from Saranya Gadwal (6 off 17), Saima Thakor (8 off 28), and Joshitha V J (1 off 16) were minimal, and wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals. There was a 31-run partnership between Rajeshwari Gayakwad (9 off 33) and Sarkar (22 off 37), but once Rajeshwari fell to Subha Shubha, the Team C batting innings came to an end with 313 on the board.
For Team A, the bowling effort was spearheaded by Minu Mani, who delivered a match-defining performance, claiming 5 wickets for 91 runs in 27.0 overs, breaking crucial partnerships and keeping the batters in check. Tanuja Kanwer also played a significant role, bowling long spells and securing 2 wickets for 74 runs in 28 overs, ensuring that Team C never gained complete control. Arundhati Reddy (1/41 in 14 overs) was economical and provided an early breakthrough, while Vasavi Akhila Pavani (1/59 in 19 overs) and S Shubha (1/2 in 2 overs) chipped in with vital wickets.
Despite Sarkar’s heroic efforts, Team A’s bowling attack ensured that Team C could not cross the 350-run mark, leaving the match poised as Team A prepared to respond with the bat.
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