Credits: X
With the opening match of the Women’s tournament having been washed out by rain, the stakes for today’s game were high: the winner would advance directly to the final. Seizing the opportunity with both hands, Nainital SG Pipers showcased their dominance with both bat and ball, ultimately defeating Mussoorie Thunders by seven wickets. Chasing 97, the Nainital SG Pipers’ openers delivered a composed start for their team. While Manisha Pradhan anchored the innings, her partner Megha Saini adopted an aggressive approach.
The duo put on a 40-run partnership before losing the key wicket of Megha Saini, who scored a brisk 26 off 18 balls. Despite losing her wicket, the Nainital SG Pipers' chase stayed on course as Manisha Pradhan and, No.4, Deepika Chand took on the responsibility of guiding their team to victory. Deepika Chand was dismissed after forming a crucial 33-run partnership with Manisha Pradhan, scoring 23 runs off 26 balls.
A few balls later, the Nainital SG Pipers chased down the target with three overs to spare. Manisha Pradhan remained unbeaten on 31* (off 37 balls). Choosing to bat, the Mussoorie Thunders suffered early blows, losing their top three batters within the Powerplay. However, wicketkeeper-batter Nandini Kashyap and captain Mansi Joshi stabilized the innings with a vital partnership.
From 14/3, their 61-run partnership lifted the team to 75/3, before Vaishali Tulera claimed the key wicket of Nandini Kashyap to break the stand. She returned to the pavilion with a top score of 45 from 41 balls. Her dismissal sparked a collapse, with the Mussoorie Thunders losing wickets at regular intervals as Nainital SG Pipers' bowlers, led by their experienced captain Ekta Bisht, kept up the pressure. Mansi Joshi (14 off 31) was the only other batter to reach double figures, as the rest of the lineup struggled to contribute. The Mussoorie Thunders could only post 96/8 in their allotted 20 overs.
(With inputs from press release)
