Jaipur: Harmanpreet Kaur-led Supernovas bowlers put up a superb performance as they restricted Mithali Raj-led Velocity to a paltry total of 121 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs in the final of Women's T20 Challange at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, here on Saturday.
Batting at number six and seven respectively Sushma Verma and Amelia Kerr inspired a fight back for Velocity after their side lost five wickets in just eight overs.
New Zealand cricketer Lee Tahuhu, who is also the fastest bowlers in Women's cricket at the moment, started Supernovas bowling attack and bowled a maiden over. Tahuhu also bagged the wicket of Velocity's West Indies cricketer Hayley Matthews for a duck in the very first over of the match.
Spin all-rounder Anuja Patil put her side on driving seat by removing the destructive England opener Danielle Wyatt for a duck on the second ball of her first over.
The 15-year-old Shafali Verma crumbled under the pressure as she gifted her wicket to Tahuhu in the third over of the match.
Shafali, Velocity's first match hero, seemed in good touch as the youngster smashed a couple of boundaries off Tahuhu's bowling. Shafali scored 11 runs off 6 balls with the help two fours.
Mithali Raj and Veda Krishnamurthy joined hands in the third over when Velocity was reeling at 14/3. The duo added 23 runs before Sophie Devine got the better off Krishnamurthy. In the very next over of the match, Natalie Sciver removed Velocity's skipper Mithali Raj from the attack.
Kerr and Sushma put up a solid 71-run partnership for the sixth wickets as Velocity reached the fighting total of 121 runs. Poonam Yadav broke Kerr and Sushma's partnership by removing the Kiwi cricketer just when they started hammering Supernovas' bowling. Kerr scored 36 runs off 38 balls with the help of four fours.
For Supernovas barring Radha Yadav, every bowler bagged at least one wicket.
Brief scores:
Velocity: 121/6 in 20 overs (Sushma Verma 40, Amelia Kerr 36; Lee Tahuhu 2/21) vs Supernovas.
