The opening day of the Senior Women’s Multi-Day Challenger Trophy 2025 match between Team B and Team C saw an engaging contest.
Team B won the toss and chose to bat first but were immediately put under pressure by a disciplined Team C bowling attack. The innings began with an early blow as Yastika Bhatia was dismissed for 16, caught short by a sharp run-out from Jemimah Rodrigues at 31/1. Pratika (38 off 71) held one end with a composed, but she too fell just as the partnership with Ayushi Soni (34 off 61) started to look promising. The pair added 49 runs before Pratika’s dismissal.
Despite the quick fall of wickets — Ayushi at 89/3 and skipper Harleen Deol at 115/4, Kanika Ahuja at 116/5, Mamatha at 121/6 and Arushi Goel at 125/7 — Team B found a ray of hope through a crucial 65-run stand between Prema and N Shree Charani. Prema was the standout performer with the bat, anchoring the innings with a resilient 46 off 82 deliveries. Shree Charani also chipped in with a valuable 29 off 39 balls. However, the lower order couldn’t capitalize on the momentum, and Team B was eventually bowled out for 210 in 68.5 overs.
With the ball, Team C’s bowling unit delivered a clinical performance. Sushree Dibyadarshini was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 5 wickets for just 33 runs in her 13 overs, consistently troubling the batters with her accuracy and variations. Rajeswari (3/40) supported her well with 3 wickets, while Saima Thakor also chipped in with her 1/34. This helped to tighten the screws during the middle overs, ensuring Team B never ran away with the game.
In reply, Team C got off to a rocky start as opener Shafali Verma was dismissed early by Nandani Sharma with the score at just 3. But the experienced Tanusree Sarkar walked in and showed great composure, stitching a much-needed 48-run partnership with Riya Chaudhuri. While Riya dug in for a gritty 18 off 77 balls, she eventually fell to Harleen Deol. Tanusree remained unbeaten on 42 off 79 balls at the close of play. She was joined by Tanisha Singh, who was not out on 6 off 16 deliveries. Team C ended Day 1 at 79/2, still trailing by 131 runs.
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