Maharashtra’s juggernaut rolls on

The first wicket pair of Anagha Deshpande and southpaw Smriti Mandhana put on 41 runs in 5.5 overs,building a solid platform for Maharashtra.

However,Rachita Buley accounted for Anagha Deshpande which opened the floodgates. Anuja Patil was stumped off Buley’s bowling as she tried to force the issue. Swaroopa Kadam and Snehal Jadhav perished in quick succession. Mandhana compiled a sedate 35 off 25 balls studded with five boundaries. Maharashtra were all out for 91 in 18.3 overs with Nidhi Buley turning out the dangerous MP bowler. Buley scalped three wickets giving away just 18 runs in the 3.3 overs.

MP’s chase did not get off to the best possible start as they lost opener Neetu Jaiswal in the second over. Shweta Mane castled the right-hander and then sent back Neha Badwaik a couple of balls later. Mane bowled a stifling opening spell of three overs for 10 runs and snapped up two wickets. Mane was ably supported by Kavita Mane who gave away just 15 runs in her three overs.

MP continued to lose wickets steadily and a combination of tight bowling and accurate fielding by Maharashtra effectively choked the run-flow. opener Shweta Mishra was the only MP batter who seemed to be up for a fight with 30 runs. However,Mishra’s batting partners simply could not execute enough scoring shots and MP finished their 20 overs at 79 for the loss of eight wickets.

In the second match played at Poona club,Hyderabad beat Odisha by five runs. Hyderabad batting first,scored 102 runs as an aggressive 29 run unbeaten knock by G Sangeetha propelled them towards the score. Odisha began strongly with an opening partnership of 43 runs and looked well on course for a victory. However,with Madhusmita Behera’s (48) dismissal,the tide turned in Hyderabad’s favour and they completed a memorable victory.