Seamer Pooja Vastrakar claimed 4/12 after Deandra Dottin (32 off 17), Harleen Deol (35 off 19) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (37 off 29) had scored some quick-fire runs as Supernovas defeated Trailblazers by 49 runs to open their campaign in the Women's T20 Challenge on a winning note here on Monday. After setting Trailblazers a target of 163 to win, the Supernovas came back strongly to restrict them to 11/9 in 20 overs and registered a comfortable win at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium here. Openers Priya Punia (22) and Deandra Dottin (32) raised 50-runs for the opening wicket in 29 balls after Suipernovas won the toss and elected to bat first. Harleen Deol (35) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (37) boosted the innings with handy contributions as Supernovas posted 163 all out in 20 overs. In response, the Trailblazers' skipper Smriti Mandana scored 34 runs off 23 deliveries and raised 39 runs for the opening wicket with West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews (18). Hayley was out in the fifth over, caught by keeper Taniya Bhatia as she tried to work one away by shuffling to leg-side, only managing to nick behind off Vastrakar. Smriti was out soon, with the score 63, caught by Priya Punia off Vastrakar, trying to clear mid-off but failing to get the elevation as Priya brought off a superb diving catch.
Jemimah Rodrigues scored 24 off 21 deliveries. Pooja Vastrakar claimed two more wickets as did Sophie Ecclestone (2/19) and Alana King (2/30) claimed two wickets each as Trailblazers lost their way from 63/2 to lose seven wickets for 51 runs. Only Renuka Singh managed to reach double figures as the middle order collapsed with three batters gettting out for zeroes and two others in single digits. Earlier, Priya and Deandra came out firing on all cylinders as they took Supernovas past 50 in 29 balls but Deandra was run out on the same score, going for a tight run as her partner sent her back. Her 32 runs came off 17 balls, hitting five fours and a six. Harleen Deol and Harmanpreet Kaur added 37 runs for the third wicket before Harleen (35 off 18) was out, trapped lbw by Salma Khatun as she went for a sweep shot and missed it, She reviewed the decision but could not get it overturned. Harmanpreet was the second of the three Supernovas batters to get run out, going for a second run trying to retain the strike in the 19th over, reduced to 160/7 on the last ball of the 19th over. Her 29-ball 37 was studded with four boundaries.
Brief scores: Supernovas 163 all out in 20 overs (Priya Punia 22, Deandra Dottin 32, Harleen Deol 35, Harmanpreet Kaur 37; Hayley Matthews 3/29, Salma Khatun 2/30) beat Trailblazers 114/9 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandana 34, Jemimah Rodrigues 24; Pooja Vastrakar 4/12, Sophie Ecclestone 2/19, Alana King 2/30) by 49 runs.