Shillong, Apr 5: Meghalaya won their third consecutive match of the U-23 Women’s One-Day League by defeating Puducherry by nine wickets in the plate group in Bhubaneshwar today.
The result means that Meghalaya finished with four wins and four defeats, which gave them 16 points and put them in the middle of the nine-team table in fifth place. The women’s team showed great resolve to put their four straight losses behind them to bounce back and win their last three games.
Today, Meghalaya won the toss and put Puducherry in to bat first.
Another fine bowling performance by captain Debasmita Dutta saw her take 4/17 in 10 overs as Puducherry were bowled out for 105. Dutta also took two catches to help her side. Deiphi Lyngdoh Mawnai, meanwhile, took 2/13, while Solina Jaba, who was a little expensive in her opening overs, came back strongly to bag 2/20, including the wicket of Puducherry’s top scorer Payal Balmik (38). Meghalaya’s other wickets were claimed by Luiza Tamang (1/10) and Daiaka Warjri (1/15).
This was also a very disciplined bowling performance from Meghalaya, who only conceded 10 extras today. By comparison, Puducherry would go on to give away more than twice that number.
In the chase Tamang and Razia Ahmed put on 71 runs for the opening wicket before Tamang was dismissed for 37. Dutta then came to the crease and hit three fours in the first four balls she faced, finally finishing on 27 not out. Ahmed ended on 17 not out as Meghalaya accomplished their chase in 39.4 overs.