Shafali Verma-led India register another big win in the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. Mannat Kashyap’s four-fer and Archana Devi’s three-fer helped India bundle out Scotland for 66 as they won the match by a massive margin of 83 runs in their final group stage clash. With three wins in three encounters, India have progressed to the Super Six stage comfortably.
After winning the toss, Shafali opted to bat first. Gongadi Trisha was promoted up the order as in-form opener Shweta Sehrawat was kept lower down the order. India lost two early wickets in the powerplay overs.
Shafali who had smacked the bowlers with a strike rate of 245, got out caught behind in the second over to Nayma Sheikh. Shafali scored just a single from three deliveries. Soniya Mendhiya struggled to score as well and could score just six runs from 11 deliveries. Mendhiya was dismissed by Orla Montgomery in the sixth over.
Richa Ghosh came to bat at no.4 but the senior batter could not bat in her typical aggressive fashion. Gongadi got to her half-century from 39 deliveries in the 12th over. The two got the innings back on track but could not accelerate.
In the 17th over Katherine Fraser got rid of both the batters. Richa was the first to fall. She scored 33 runs from 35 deliveries including three fours. Gongadi got out on the fifth ball of the over. She scored 57 runs from 51 deliveries including six fours. They shared a 70-run partnership for the third wicket.
Hrishita Basu and Shweta came to bat in the slog overs. India needed few big overs as they were 105/4 with 19 balls left in the innings. While Hrishita rotated the strike, Shweta went berserk. In the 18th over, She hit Olivia Bell for a six and a four. In the penultimate over only one four came off Hrishita's bat. In the final over, Shweta decided to go after Katherine and hit her for three fours and a six to help India post 149/4. Her 10-ball 31 cameo helped India post a fighting total on the board.
The chase got off to a decent start. Mannat was the first to strike as she got rid of wicketkeeper-batter Ailsa Lister for a run-a-ball 14 in the fifth over. Darcey Carter did the most of scoring in the powerplay overs. Mannat struck again and got Emma Walsingham out for a golden duck. Despite two wickets, Scotland had 45/2 on the board.
Darcey's innings came to an end in the seventh over as she lost her wicket to Archana. She scored 24 runs from 22 deliveries including three fours and one six. Mannat struck again in the eighth over and got rid of skipper Katherine (5).
No other Scottish batter could score in double digits as Archana rushed through the middle order. Mannat got her fourth wicket as well. Towards the end, Sonam Yadav joined the party and got two wickets to wrap up Scotland's innings in the 14th over as they managed to post just 66 on the board in the run chase of 150.
