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Anjali, Tanuja shine in Railways’ women’s T20 trophy triumph
Favourites Railways defeated Bengal by six wickets in Bengaluru to win the title for the 11th time in 13 editions.
Women’s cricket in India is on the upswing with BCCI having announced pay parity in match fee with the men’s team as well as the launch of the women’s Indian Premier League in March, soon after the T20 World Cup in South Africa.
Some of the men’s IPL franchises have already started scouting for women players and were at the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, which ended with domestic giants Railways winning for the 11th time in 13 editions, beating Bengal by six wickets in Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
Hiring all the best players from across the country helps Railways dominate women’s cricket in the domestic circuit. Railways have ruled the event since its inception in 2008-09 when Mithali Raj led the side to victory over Maharashtra for the first time.
Railways winning streak was broken when Delhi and Punjab emerged champions in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Left-arm seamer Anjali Sarvani, who took 3/6 (17 dot balls) to be named Player-of-the-Match, hoped her performance will help draw the attention of an IPL franchise.
“I am looking forward to the women’s IPL next year,” Sarvani said at the presentation. Two of her victims were caught and bowled, helping Railways to restrict two-time runners-up Bengal to 106/7. Left-arm spinner Tanuja P Kanwar took 3/18. Railways reached 108/4 in 18.2 overs.
After being reduced to 17/3 within the powerplay, Bengal never found the going easy though Deepti Sharma (23--27b, 1x4), Dhara Gujjar (32--42b, 4x4), and keeper-batter Richa Ghosh (32-- 26b, 4x4) lifted the innings.
Tanuja Kanwar too kept Bengal batters on the back foot, delivering 12 dot balls in her four overs. Railways stumper Nuzhat Parween effected two stumpings, including a crucial one of Ghosh off Kanwar.
Railways openers S Meghana (19) and Nuzhat Parween (35--50b, 1x4) raised a 40-run partnership and D Hemlata’s 35 (23b, 5x4) then dashed Bengal’s hopes that had risen after Gouher Sultana’s two wickets in consecutive deliveries in the 15th over.
Former India spinner and Railways’ skipper Poonam Yadav was happy for youngsters Sarvani, Hemlata and Parween. “These youngsters have a good future. Throughout the tournament they came up with some fine performances. I am happy for myself also as I was leading for the first time in the event,” she said.
The women’s cricket caravan moves to Lucknow for the Senior Women's Inter-Zonal T20.
BRIEF SCORES
Bengal 106/7 (R Ghosh 32, D Gujjar 32, D Sharma 23, A Sarvani 3/6, T Kanwar 3/18); Railways 108/4 in 18.2 overs (N Parween 35, D Hemlata 35, S Meghna 19, S Mane 15*, G Sultana 2/23). Railways on by 6 wickets.
