Women in Blue cruise to an easy win against Thailand in the second match of ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers

It was a lopsided affair at Colombo, Sri Lanka, when the Asian champions India faced off against Thailand on Wednesday during the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Thailand could not do much with the bat as the team was done and dusted for a paltry 55 in 29.1 overs. It appeared as if the Thai batters were walking on a long banana skin. The 23-year old Mansi Joshi was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 3-4 in her five overs. The girl from Punjab found able allies in Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav and Rajeshwari Gayakwad, all of them chipping with two wickets apiece. Nattaya Boochatham and Chanida Sutthiruang were the only two to score in double digits.

It was rather an easy chase for India eves as they raced to the finish line in just 12.4 overs, winning the game comprehensively by nine wickets. Harmanpreet Kar was the only wicket to fall. Thirush Kamini who missed out in the last game against Sri Lanka played a solid knock of 24* (44) and received good support from Veda Krishnamurthy 17* (11).

India will play its next match against Ireland on 10^th February.

Brief Scores: Thailand Women 55-10 in 29.1 overs (C Sutthiruang 12; M Joshi 3-4) lost to India Women 59-1 in 12.4 overs (T Kamini 24*, V Krishnamurthy 17*; S Tippoch 1-16) by 9 wickets

India eves thrash Sri Lanka by 114 runs in the first match of ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers

Women in Blue amassed a competitive total of 259-4 against Sri Lanka in the first match of ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday at Colombo, Sri Lanka. Coming in at no.3, Devika Vaidya played a solid innings of 89(103) and shouldered the responsibility of batting well. The 19 year old then stitched a strong partnership with the skipper Mithali Raj (70 not out) to take India to a commanding position. Udeshika Prabodhani was the pick of the bowlers for the host as she scalped 2-56 in her spell of 10 overs.

Though Sri Lanka got off to a good start, courtesy Chamari Atapattu (30) and Eshani Lokusuriyage (26), the middle order could not capitalize much. It was again the spin duo of Ekta Bisht and Rajeshwari Gayakwad that caught the Inoka Ranaweera-led side in their spin web as they accounted for four wickets between them giving away just 46 runs in 20 overs. Sri Lanka was bundled out for a paltry 145, helping India win by a mammoth margin of 114 runs.

Man of the Match award was conferred on the young and talented batter Devika Vaidya for her brilliant batting. India will play its next match against Thailand on 8^th February.

Brief Scores: India Women 259-4 in 50 overs (D Vaidya 89, M Raj 70; U Prabodhani 2-56) beat Sri Lanka Women 145-8 in 50 overs (H Perera 34, C Atapattu 30; E Bisht 2-27, R Gayakwad 2-19) by 114 runs.

                                     

SC appoints Diana Eduljee to take strike for BCCI’s four member panel

Amid the tussle between BCCI and Lodha Committee which resulted in the sacking of BCCI President Anurag Thakur and BCCI Secretary Ajay Shirke, Supreme Court, on Monday, announced a four member committee that will take charge of the BCCI functioning in the absence of the top bosses. Former CAG of India Vinod Rai was appointed as the head of the committee. The other panelists are historian Ramachandra Guha, CEO of IDBI Bank Vikram Limaye and a surprise package in the form of Diana Eduljee, former Indian women’s cricket team captain.

A right hand batter and a slow left arm bowler, Diana has had a long and successful international career that stretched from 1975 to 1993. Arjuna Award and Padma Shri recipient Eduljee has been involved in the sport not only on field but also off the field as she donned the administrative hat for many years. To name a few, she was a part of the BCCI’s selection committee and Indian Railways selection committee.

Eduljee has not been all that happy with BCCI’s work with respect to women’s cricket and has explicitly commented on the lack of recognition and coverage that the eves get in India. Her inclusion in the committee can be the ray of hope and we might see women’s cricket flourishing as never before in our country. 

ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 to commence on 7th Feb; India eves look to qualify for the WC

England and Wales is all set to host the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 starting 26^th June and the final to be played at Lords, the Mecca of cricket, on 23^rd July. Out of the eight teams that will lock horns against each other, as of now, only four teams are certain to star in the WC fixtures. Former world champs New Zealand, defending champions Australia, hosts England and T20 World Cup 2016 winners West Indies are the four countries already qualified to play the coveted World Cup. The remaining four sides will find themselves fighting hard in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 to secure a berth in the final eight that will play for the prestigious World championship title. The Qualifier will be hosted by Sri Lanka during 7^th Feb to 21^st Feb.

The 10 teams that will go through the qualification process are: India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe. India heads Group A which also includes Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Thailand; South Africa leads Group B and have Pakistan, Bangladesh, Scotland and Papua New Guinea.

Asian champions India stand a strong chance of making the final cut and romp to the final eight of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017. The Women in Blue boast of a perfect blend of experience and youth. Under the able aegis of veteran Mithali Raj, India eves will be eyeing to set their foot on the English soil this June.

India squad: Mithali Raj (captain), Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Mona Meshram, Shikha Pandey, Sukanya Parida, Deepti Sharma, M D Thirushkamini, Devika Vaidya, Sushma Verma and Poonam Yadav. 

Defending champs India beat arch rivals Pakistan to win their sixth Women's Asia Cup title

Women in Blue once again continued to roar loud in the T20 Asia Cup this year, as they defended their title for the sixth time in as many tournaments (first four Asia Cup tournaments were a 50-overs a side affair). India vs Pakistan on a Sunday afternoon is like a treat to all the cricket lovers across the country.

Winning all the league games, India entered the finals with oodles of confidence to take on Pakistan. Harmanpreet Kaur decided to bat first, early in the day, and thanks to the brilliant batting of Mithali Raj (73 not out off 65 balls), Kaur was not disappointed with her decision. Raj, who turned 34, just yesterday, struck her 10th half century, and led from the front to ensure that her team got to a respectable total. Mithali was aggressive right from the word go, hitting seven boundaries and a maximum in her well-constructed innings. Slow left arm bowler Anam Amin was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, picking up 2-24 in her four overs.

Defending 122 in a final can be slightly tricky, however Harmanpreet Kaur did a fantastic job in managing her troops. It was again the spinning tale narrated by Ekta Bisht, Anuja Patil and Preeti Bose that summed up India's win in the all-important final. Bisht shinned with the ball, accounting for 2-22 in her four overs and received good support from Patil (1-18) and Bose (1-18). It was a nail biting finish as the match went down the wire, with Pakistan felt wanting of 17 runs. Skipper Bismah Maroof top scored with 25 runs.

Mithali Raj (220 runs in 4 innings at an average of 110), who also won the Man of the Match award, finished off as the highest run scorer and with 12 wickets in 6 matches, right arm off-break bowler Sana Mir of Pakistan was the highest wicket-taker.

Indomitable India beats Nepal to enter the Women’s T20 Asia Cup Final

The young and new looking Indian team led by the dashing all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur, reached the final of T20 Asia Cup by beating Nepal comprehensively on Friday.The Women in Blue have remained invincible in the tournament winning five out of five matches.

India played its final match of the league against the minnows Nepal and continued its winning streak by clinically outperforming the not so extra-ordinary Nepal team. Riding on Shikha Pandey’s (39 not out off 32 balls) heroics, India was able to post a decent total of 120-5 at the end of 20 overs.  In the second innings, Nepal was left clueless as its batting line-up collapsed like a pack of card for a paltry 21. Poonam Yadav was the pick of the bowlers picking up 3-9 and was well-complimented by Anuja Patil and Meghana, both of them, grabbing two wickets each.

Not only as a team, but also at the individual level, India has had a great run at the T20 Asia Cup so far. Mithali Raj is the leading run-getter (147 runs with an average of 73.5) and Ekta Bisht (4 matches and 8 wickets) is sitting comfortably at the top of the highest wicket-taker table.

Brief Scores: India Women 120-5 in 20 overs (S Pandey 39*, V Vanitha 21; R Belbashi 2-21) beat Nepal Women 21-10 in 16.3 overs (P Yadav 3-9, A Patil2-3, S Meghana 2-3) by 99 runs

India Women emerge victorious against Sri Lanka; remain invincible in the T20 Asia Cup

Having won their first three encounters of this T20 Asia Cup, Women in Blue, with oodles of confidence, took on their neighbours of south; Sri Lanka, on Thursday, at Bangkok, Thailand. Harmanpreet Kaur, skipper of the Indian team, won the toss and elected to bat first.  The opening pair of Raj and Mandhana provided a solid start to the team and a small cameo towards the end by Veda Krishnamurthy (21 runs off 23 balls) helped India to post a respectable 121-4 in 20 overs.

It was once again the spin magic of Ekta Bisht and Preeti Bose that helped the Kaur-led team to restrict Sri Lanka to 69-9, winning the match comprehensively by 52 runs. Bisht picked up 3-8 and Bose accounted for 3-14 in their full quota of four overs. India is right at the top of the table with four out of four wins. India will play Nepal in the last and final match of T20 Asia Cup on Friday at Bangkok, Thailand.

Mithali Raj was adjudged as the Man of the Match for her batting brilliance right at the top.

Brief Scores: India Women 121-4 in 20 overs (M Raj 62, S Mandhana 21, V Krishnamurthy 21) beat Sri Lanka Women 69-9 in 20 overs (D Manodara 20; E Bisht 3-8, P Bose 3-14) by 52 runs