Smriti Mandhana’s Trailblazers managed to beat Velocity at the MCA Stadium, Pune on Thursday but Deepti Sharma and co will still move to the finals of the Women’s T20 Challenge 2022. 

The Trailblazers, after posting a record 190-run total in the first innings, needed to restrict Velocity to under 158 runs to make it to the final vs Supernovas. However, Deepti Sharma and co rode on Kiran Prabhu Navgire’s 34-ball 69 to score 174/9. They lost by 16 runs. 

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Poonam Yadav (2/33) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2/44) picked up two wickets apiece for Trailblazers.

In the first innings, debutant Sabbhineni Meghana top-scored for the pink team with 73 off 47 balls, while Jemimah Rodrigues made a 44-ball 66. The two stitched a 113-run partnership for the second wicket after skipper Mandhana (1) was dismissed early. Hayley Matthews (27 off 15) and Sophia Dunkley (19 off 8) provided the late charge. 

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Simran Bahadur picked up two wickets for 31 runs in three overs for Velocity.

Trailblazers skipper Mandhana said that Navgire’s innings just took their final dream away. 

 “We knew the scenario and we knew what we are gonna get, but really proud the way the batters batted. We had a good chance, but Kiran the way she batted…she just took that final dream away from us. I think somewhere I was a little sad that she was against us but little happy as a Indian player that she is hitting hard and that far. It’s a sight to watch but not as an opposite captain, great things to come for her going forward in the Indian set up,” Mandhana said in the post-match ceremony. 

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Brief Scores: Trailblazers: 190 for 5 in 20 overs (Sabbhineni Meghana 73, Jemimah Rodrigues 66; Simran Bahadur 2/31).

Velocity: 174 for 9 in 20 overs (Kiran Prabhu Navgire 69; Poonam Yadav 2/33, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2/44).