PUNE, All-rounder Khushi Mulla scored a classy half-century and also shone with the ball as Pune Warriors defeated Smriti Mandhana-led Ratnagiri Jets by five runs in their Women’s Maharashtra Premier League (WMPL) match here on Sunday.
This was Pune Warriors’ third straight victory in the tournament.
Asked to bat first, Khushi (68, 54b) and skipper Anuja Patil (27, 22b) shared a 53-run stand to help their side to 151 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Although she did not pick up any wickets, Khushi was economical with the ball (0 for 28 in 4 overs) and held her nerves to concede just six runs in the final over, when she had 12 runs to defend.
It looked like the game was done and dusted when opener Gautami Naik (15, 12b) perished in the fifth over with the scoreboard reading 26 for 4.
However, India vice-captain Smriti, who came to bat at No. 5, brought her team back in the contest with a 61 off 34 balls, a blistering knock that was laced with six fours and three sixes.
However, Ratnagiri’s chase got derailed in the 15th over when pacer Chinmayee Borpale (3/23) got Smriti’s wicket.
Chinmayee was well-supported by skipper Anuja Patil’s 2 for 30.
Earlier, Solapur Smashers’ skipper Tejal Hasabnis dazzled with a half-century (56, 36b) to guide her side to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Raigad Royals.
Tejal added 73 runs for the second wicket with Ishwari Savkar (33, 38b) before all-rounder Mukta Magre played a handy knock of an unbeaten 34 off 27 deliveries as Solapur overhauled a target of 130 in 17.2 overs.
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