Muskan Malik’s knock puts UP on road to qualifying
LUCKNOW:Young batter and skipper Muskan Malik led from the front and stroked a superb halfcentury to help favourites Uttar Pradesh continue their winning streak in the Women’s Under-19 One Day Trophy, crushing Himachal by 80 runs in Gwalior on Friday.
With an all win record in as many as five matches, besides a ‘no result’ game against Goa, Uttar Pradesh (22 points) have been among the top five teams in the cross group of A and B in the table. Now, they play against hosts MP on March 9 before playing the last league match against Baroda on March 12.
Right-hand batter Malik smashed 73-ball 95 with the help of 16 hits to the fence as Uttar Pradesh scored 209/6 in 43 overs in a rain-curtailed encounter after being sent to bat first, at the MPCA Ground in Shankarpur. In reply, Himachal could make 129 in 40.4 overs.
Initially, it looked a good toss to win for Himachal when they had first three Uttar Pradesh batswomen Ayushi Srivastava (18, 29b, 3x4), Shikha (5) and Nishi Kashyap (0) at the team’s total of 39 in 12.2 overs. But soon after Malik joined Sonali Singh, things began changing dramatically as the two stitched together 122-run for the fourthwicket to take the side out of trouble.
Whereas Malik was stroking the ball with sheer power and grit, Sonali kept rotating the strike with singles and doubles. Before being run out by Sonal S Thakur an energetic Sonali made 35 in 84 balls with the help of three boundaries.
Next batswoman Shipra Giri was ruthless to Himachal bowlers, smashing an unbeaten 22-ball 34, which contained five hits to the fence and a six. Archana Devi also remained unbeaten, striking run-a-ball 12, which contained two fours. VS Fishta took 2/21 for Himachal.
The run chase for Himachal too didn’t look easy as after losing opener Natasa R Negi on duck early in the innings, they kept losing wickets on regular intervals. Captain Sonal S Thakur tried to adorn innings, hitting 67-ball 44, which contained three hits to the fence, but in vain. VS Fishta hit 22 in 35 balls with two fours before Himachal’s innings came to an end in the 41st over.
Sonam Yadav and Archana Devi bowled well, bagging two wickets each, whereas Almas Bhardwaj and Parshavi Chopra shared two wickets between them.
FINE BATTING
Opener Ekta smashed 51-ball 52 with the help of seven fours, whereas Shobha Devi (39, 33b, 8x4) and Nishu Chaudhary (36, 39b, 2x4) to help Uttar Pradesh beat Uttarakhand by 87 runs in the Women’s Senior One Day Trophy, at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium in Surat on Friday. This was UP’s fourth win in as many as seven games so far.
Uttar Pradesh managed 162/8 in 27 overs in a rain curtailed encounter while batting first after winning the toss. Amisha B, Dimpal Kandari and AN Tomar took two wickets each for the losers.
In reply, Uttarakhand could make 75/4 in 27 overs. Captain AN Tomar struck an unbeaten 45, which came off 73 balls with the help of four boundaries and a six, whereas opener Dimpal Kandari made 18. For UP, Rashi Kanojiya, Arju and Kirti bagged a wicket each.
RIGHT-HAND BATTER MALIK SMASHED 73BALL 95 WITH THE HELP OF 16 HITS TO THE FENCE AS UTTAR PRADESH SCORED 209/6 IN 43 OVERS IN A RAINCURTAILED ENCOUNTER AFTER BEING SENT TO BAT FIRST, AT THE MPCA GROUND IN SHANKARPUR. IN REPLY, HIMACHAL COULD MAKE 129 IN 40.4 OVERS