Day 4: Solapur Smashers Ride on Ishwari Awasare and Tejal Hasabnis’ 70s, Pune Warriors Maintain Winning Run

Day 4 was a packed schedule with two exciting contests at the Women’s Maharashtra Premier League under the Maharashtra Cricket Association. After a dominating opening weekend, the Ratnagiri Jets have found themselves in trouble following a series of defeats, most recently against Solapur Smashers by 19 runs. In the evening encounter, Pune Warriors moved forward with their win against Raigad Royals by 4 wickets.

Day 4: Solapur Smashers Ride on Ishwari Awasare and Tejal Hasabnis' 70s, Pune Warriors Maintain Winning Run
Day 4: Solapur Smashers Ride on Ishwari Awasare and Tejal Hasabnis’ 70s, Pune Warriors Maintain Winning Run

Match 7: Solapur Smashers vs Ratnagiri Jets

Opting to bowl first, Ratnagiri Jets got off to a promising start, dismissing opener Ishwari Awasare for a duck. But what followed was a dominant display from the Smashers. Ishwari Savkar anchored the innings with a composed 75* off 62, while skipper Tejal Hasabnis played a blistering knock of 70 off just 39. The duo stitched together a formidable 130-run partnership, laying a solid foundation. A late cameo from Mukta Magre 11 off 9 propelled Solapur to a competitive total of 170/5. Among the bowlers, Anushree Swami stood out for the Jets with an impressive 3/22.

In response, Ratnagiri got off to a fiery start with Gautami Naik blasting 31 off just 10. However, the top-order soon crumbled under pressure from Solapur’s disciplined bowling attack. Smriti Mandhana led the resistance with a classy 52 off 29, supported briefly by Dnyanda Nikam 19 off 12, but the middle and lower order failed to capitalize. The team was bundled out for 151 in 19.1 overs, falling 19 runs short of the target. Laxmidevi Yadav (3/35) and Mukta Magre (2/18) were instrumental in sealing the win for Solapur with their crucial breakthroughs.

Match 8: Pune Warriors vs Raigad Royals

Batting first, Raigad Royals struggled to build momentum, finishing with 116/9 in 20 overs. Openers Bhavika Ahire and Sharvani Desai provided a steady start with a composed 33 off 27 and 27 off 31 respectively. Captain Kiran Navgire chipped in with a brisk 21 off 13, but the Royals’ middle and lower order crumbled, with the rest of the batters failing to reach double figures. Pune’s bowling unit was clinical with Samruddhi Dale (2/18), Akshaya Jadhav (2/23), and Chinmayee Borphale (1/15) keeping the pressure on with disciplined spells.

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Chasing 117, Pune Warriors faced early setbacks as their top order collapsed. Suhani Kahandal managed just 8 off 10, while Khushi Mulla and Akshaya Jadhav departed cheaply for 3 and 1 respectively. With the score in trouble, it was captain Anuja Patil who anchored the innings with a gritty 28 off 26, and Shweta Mane provided the finishing push with a crucial 37 off 32. Their lower-order partnership rescued Pune and guided them to victory. Despite a valiant effort from Raigad bowlers, led by skipper Kiran Navgire (2/16) and Yashoda Ghogare (2/16), the total proved insufficient. Pune successfully chased down the target in the final overs, showcasing depth and composure under pressure.

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