Shipra shines with bat; Shilpi and Rashi excel in bowling
LUCKNOW: Opener Shipra Giri smashed a fine half-century, whereas two spinners Shilpi Yadav and Rashi Kanojiya bowled well to help Uttar Pradesh launch their campaign in the Senior Women’s T20 League, notching up a thrilling six-run win against Vidarbha at Chandigarh on Monday.
Prayagraj’s Giri, who had back-to-back half-centuries in one-day tournament in November last, smacked 55-ball 65 with the help of six hits to the fence as Uttar Pradesh scored 130/7 while batting first after winning the toss, at the IS Bindra Cricket Stadium.
She along with skipper Muskan Malik (17, 21b, 1x4) added 49-run for the second-wicket after UP lost opener Anita Lodhi (4) with scoreboard reading just four in three balls.
Though wickets kept falling on regular intervals, Giri stood like a solid rock and kept stroking the ball nicely around the ground. Anjali Singh remained the other batter, who could touch the double figure mark with 19, which came off 16 balls with the help of one boundary.
It was pathetic show by the remaining five batters of UP as none could cross the double digit mark. Kanchan Nagwani remained the most successful bowler for Vidarbha, bagging 2/23, whereas G Wankar, N
Kohale and Reena Paul shared three wickets between them.
In reply, Vidarbha too kept losing wickets on regular intervals after losing opener D Kasat (6) in the fourth over before being restricted to 124/7. Keeper-batter L Inamdar top scored 22, which came off 18 balls with the help of two hits to the fence, whereas captain Kanchan Nagwani made an unbeaten 13-ball 21 with the help of two boundaries.
Uttar Pradesh used as many as seven bowlers to tackle Vidarbha batters, but the orthodox left-arm spinners Shilpi and Rashi turned out to be the wreckers-in-chief. Shilpi took 3/16, bowling 10 dot balls, whereas Rashi claimed 3/33 with 11 dot balls. Aditi took 1/17. Now, Uttar Pradesh take on Gujarat in their next match of Elite Group D on Tuesday.