Unsold in WPL auction, veteran Indian spinner shatters her own 12-year-old record with 8 wickets for just 10 runs

India's left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht was one of the prominent players who went unsold in Women Premier League (WPL) auction earlier this month. Ekta proved that she has a lot left in the tank as she created history by taking eight wickets for just 10 runs in Senior Women's Inter Zonal One Day Trophy. The 37-year-old broke her own record that she created in 2011 with 6/11 against North Zone. Her 8/10 against North Wast Zone on February 19 is the best bowling figures in Women's Inter Zonal One Day cricket.
 

Ekta bowled as many as four maiden overs in her full quota of 10 overs. She broke the opening partnership after first powerplay overs with the wicket of Kalpana. After that she rushed through North East Zone batting lineup. She had support from another veteran Indian spinner Poonam Yadav. The leggie took two wickets for just five runs from seven overs which included six maidens. 
 

Only two North East Zone batters managed to score in double digits as they got all out for 42 in 30 overs. Also, five of the batters walked back to the pavilion after failing to open their account. It was an easy run chase for Central Zone. Openers Jasia Akhter (30) and Kanchan Parihar (11) chased down the 43-run target in just 6.3 overs.
 

Ekta’s numbers
Ekta is an experienced campaigner who has represented India in all three formats. In the T20I format, she has 53 wickets from 42 games at an average of 14.71 including one four-fer which she took in T20 World Cup 2014 against West Indies. 

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She has not played a single T20I since March 2019. In her last T20I encounter against England, she conceded 32 runs and picked up the wicket of skipper Heather Knight.
 

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No wicket in final
Ekta’s magic could not continue in the Inter Zonal One Day final. Against North Zone, she bowled eight overs including two maidens and conceded 26 runs. As Central Zone managed to post a lowly score of 123, North Zone batters chased down the total with nine wickets in hand and 16.3 overs to spare.