Player-of-the match Jasia Akhtar’s blazing century powered Celeste Superwomen to a commanding 31-run victory over Venture XI in the Goa Women’s Premier League at GCA ground, Porvorim on Tuesday evening.
Jasia Akhtar, one of the national team campers and Delhi Capitals squad member, became the first centurion of the ongoing GWPL as she rained boundaries and sixes on the way to scoring 120 runs off 72 balls. The powerfully-built opener hit 16 boundaries and four maximums to deliver a strike rate of an incredible 166.67 as Celeste Superwomen posted 177/2 in the allotted 20 overs. Jasia was the major contributor to the second-wicket partnership of 149 runs, with Vinavi Gurav (31 not out). Preeti Yadav remained unbeaten on 18 off 10 balls (3×4).
In reply, Venture XI did show a stomach for a fight and reached 70/3 in 10.3 overs as the dangerous third-wicket partnership of 42 runs between Tamana Nigam (70 not out off 52 balls; 9×4, 1×6) and Tarannum Pathan (27 off 22balls, 4×4) was broken by Sweety Parab.
Tamana kept Venture XI hopes alive and combined with Diksha Gawde (18) to add 74 runs for the fifth wicket but they could not keep up with the rising asking rate, the team were restricted to 146/5. Celeste Superwomen’s Pooja Nishad took two wickets while Poorva Bhaidkar and and Sayali Lonkar picked up a wicket each.
MANAS PANJIM GYMKHANA OPEN ACCOUNT
Manas Panjim Gymkhana scored their first victory on Tuesday night, after two successive losses. They scored an emphatic 48-run victory over Geno Dragons at GCA academy ground, Porvorim.
Mukta Magre with an unbeaten 59 runs off 52 balls (9×4) and Poonam Khemnar with a quickfire 52 off 27 balls, which consisted of 3 boundaries and 5 sixes, put on an unfinished 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket as Manas Panjim Gymkhana posted a challenging total of 163/3 in their allotted 20 overs. India all-rounder and MPG skipper Shikha Pandey scored 23 runs of 22 balls, which comprised 3 boundaries and a sixer.
Geno’s Purvaja Verlekar returned impressive figures of 3/13 off her four overs.
In reply, Geno Dragons batting lineup failed to click with the exception of Pragati Singh, who scored 50 runs off 36 balls including seven boundaries, and captain Anuja Patil contributing 21 runs off 11 balls, which had four hits to the fence. No other batter even got into double figures as the Dragons were all out for 115 in 20 overs.
Manas Panjim Gymkhana and Delhi Capitals star Shikha Pandey (3/27) and Sejal Satardekar (2/15) were the most successful bowlers.
Poonam Khemnar was named the player of the match and the prize was presented by Mukesh Ghatwal.
