Simply superior Supernovas!

Deandra Dottin (62) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (43) show the way in IPL-style tournament title triumph over Velocity; Laura’s effort goes in vain

Thanks to Deandra Dottin (44-ball 62) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (43 off 29) and an equally disciplined bowling performance from left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone (2-28) Supernovas beat Velocity by four runs in the Women’s T20 Challenge final here on Saturday.

In reply to Supernovas 165-7, Velocity ended up with 161-8 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. 

Australian Laura Wolvaardt (65 not out) was the only batter who showed some fight, but that was not enough to chase the target. Wolvaardt ensured the game was stretched to the last over and last ball as Velocity had to score a six to win the final. 

Velocity lost openers, Shafali Verma (15) and Yastika Bhatia (13) early. One-drop Kiran Navgire faced 13 balls but got out for a duck to Ecclestone.

Earlier, West Indian opener Dottin made full use of an early reprieve to score a blistering half-century and power Supernovas to a good total. 

Lucky Dottin

Dottin, 30, was dropped on 13 by Sneh Rana off Deepti Sharma in the fourth over, and she made Velocity pay for that costly mistake by making 62 off 44 balls, which was studded with one four and four sixes.

The experienced campaigner stitched 73 runs for the opening wicket with Priya Punia (28) and added 58 for the second wicket with in-form Kaur (43 off 29 balls). For Velocity, captain Deepti Sharma, Kate Cross and Simran Bahadur took two wickets apiece, while Ayabonga Khaka got one. The Supernovas could only score 34 runs in the last five overs while losing five wickets. Dottin and Punia gave the Supernovas a flying start after being put in to bat, scoring at a brisk pace and reaching 46 for no loss in the Powerplay. Punia hit a six off Cross in the third over but her partner Dottin did even better, smashing consecutive maximums in the sixth over bowled by Rana. Punia was going strong when she got out in the 10th over bowled by Simran Bahadur, after smashing a six.

Harmanpreet opens with a six 

Captain Kaur, the tournament’s highest scorer, came out and straightaway began collecting the runs, hitting a six off Rana in the 12th over and following it up with two maximums in the 14th over bowled by Yadav. In the next over, Velocity captain Deepti struck as she bowled Dottin. The Supernovas suffered a batting collapse in the death overs as they lost four wickets for the addition of just 11 runs. Pooja Vastrakar (5) was cleaned up by Ayabonga Khaka in the 17th over before Cross claimed two wickets—that of Kaur and Sophie Ecclestone (2). 
             
Brief scores
Supernovas 165-7 in 20 overs (D Dottin 62, H Kaur 43; D Sharma 2-20, K Cross 2-29) beat Velocity 161-8 (L Wolvaardt 65*; A King 3-32, S Ecclestone 2-28) by four runs

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