In the Senior Women’s Multi-Day Challenger Trophy, Team D and Team B faced off at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Dehradun. Team D won the toss and elected to bat first, hoping to set a strong foundation. However, their start was far from ideal as they lost Nandini Kashyap (8 off 23) early due to a run-out by Prema in the eighth over. Gongadi Trisha (31 off 54) looked solid at the crease, but she was soon dismissed by Shree Charani, leaving Team D at 63/2.
The innings continued with moderate partnerships, as Raghvi Bist (45 off 71) and Dhara Gujjar (25 off 67) managed to add 34 runs, but the batting lineup struggled to maintain momentum. By the time K P Choudhary (17 off 59) and Amanjot Kaur (32 off 54) departed, Team D found themselves struggling at 176/7, raising concerns about whether they could cross the 250-run mark.
Amid the falling wickets, Kashvee Gautam stepped up with a sensational counterattack, scoring 106* runs off just 86 balls, displaying remarkable composure under pressure. She and Sanskriti Gupta (21 off 41) stitched a 29-run partnership before Gupta fell to Shree Charani.
Then Kashvee found crucial support in M Dakshini, and together, they stitched an 80-run partnership that completely changed the course of the innings. Gautam’s aggressive stroke play, coupled with her ability to rotate the strike, ensured that Team D could stretch their total beyond 300. With the lower order providing some late contributions, Team D eventually posted a competitive 323 in 93.4 overs, a total that looked improbable at one stage.
Team B’s bowlers had an impressive outing, particularly in the early and middle phases of the innings. Prema (3/78) and Shree Charani (3/73) were the standout performers, breaking crucial partnerships and maintaining tight lines. Kanika Ahuja (1/26) and Nandani Sharma (1/23) also played a key role, picking up a wicket each. Kranti Gaud (1/65) kept things tight, restricting the flow of runs.
However, they struggled to contain Kashvee Gautam’s onslaught, as she single-handedly pushed Team D to a formidable total. The fall of wickets at regular intervals (19/1, 63/2, 97/3, 124/4, 144/5, 157/6, 176/7, 205/8) indicated how Team D had difficulty building lasting partnerships until Gautam’s late heroics.
In response, Team B began cautiously, reaching 5/0 in 2 overs at the close of play, with Pratika (3* off 4) and Prema (1* for 8) unbeaten at the crease. Their primary focus on Day 2 will be on building a solid foundation and avoiding early setbacks in the upcoming sessions. With a strong target ahead, Team B will need its key batters to step up and counter Team D’s bowling attack to stay competitive in the match.
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