Divya’s class, Veda’s blitz power Karnataka to victory

By NT Correspondent

Finally, after three consecutive losses, Namma team got back to winning ways. The turnaround came at the cost of Madhya Pradesh, which they defeated by five wickets in the Senior Women’s T20 League’s Elite Group C match at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Friday.

Asked to bat first, Madhya Pradesh posted 136 for the loss of 5 wickets in 20 overs, thanks to a solid knock of 49 off 41 deliveries by their skipper Pooja Vastrakar. For Karnataka, Chandu V picked up two top-order wickets at crucial points, while Prathyusha C and Aditi Rajesh took one apiece to restrict MP to the below-par total.

In reply, openers Divya Gnanananda (41) and Shubha Satheesh (12) put on 21 runs for the first wicket before the latter was bowled by Pooja Vastrakar. D Vrinda (39) along with Divya built a match-changing partnership of 74 runs for the second wicket.

However, Vrinda was out for 39 pushing Karnataka to 95 for 2, while Divya (41) got out six runs later. They suffered a midinnings collapse of sorts as Niki Prasad and Aditi Rajesh did not last long. But skipper Veda Krishnamurthy (29 not out) stemmed the collapse to see the team canter home by five wickets with two balls to spare. Karnataka will meet Delhi on April 24 in their final league clash.

Brief scores: Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association: 136 for 5 in 20 overs [Neha Badwaik 23, Pooja Vastrakar 49 (41 balls, 4x4, 1x6), Tamanna Nigam 25, Chandu V 2/33] lost toKarnataka State Cricket Association: 139 for 5 in 19.4 overs [Divya Gnanananda 41 (38 balls, 5x4), Vrinda Dinesh 39 (30 balls, 5x4), Veda Krishnamurthy 29* (19 balls, 4x4) Soumya Tiwari 2/15] by 5 wickets.