In the second match of Women’s T20 Challenge 2020, Trailblazers trounced Velocity by nine wickets at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Chasing a paltry target of 48 runs was never going to trouble the Trailblazers and precisely what happened. They lost only one wicket in the form of skipper Smriti Mandhana (6) to chase down the target within eight overs.
Opener Deandra Dottin with unbeaten 29 and Richa Ghosh (13 not out) took their side over the finishing line. The huge victory awarded Trailblazers a top position in the points table with a positive net run rate of +3.905.
Ecclestone, Goswami restricted Velocity at 47/10
Earlier, a terrific bowling performance by Trailblazers completely destroyed the batting unit of Velocity. Only three batters – Shafali Verma (13), Shikha Pandey (10), and Kasperek (11) – were able to score runs in double figures as Velocity were bundled out for 47 runs. It was the lowest score in the history of the Women’s T20 Challenge.
England spinner Sophie Ecclestone was the chief architect behind the destruction. The No.1 ranked T20I bowler exhibited her A-game by picking up four wickets for just 9 runs in 3.1 overs.
Apart from Ecclestone, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Jhulan Goswami shined with the ball as the duo bagged two wickets each. Deepti Sharma also contributed with one scalp.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
A stunning start to the #WomensT20Challenge for @Sophecc19!
She returned figures of 3.1-1-9-4 today 🔥 pic.twitter.com/K6KHktnI2A
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 5, 2020
A 2⃣-wicket maiden from Sophie Ecclestone as she picks the keys wickets of Mithali Raj and Veda Krishnamurthy 🔥🔥#VELvTBL #JioWomensT20Challenge pic.twitter.com/7dH902zr5q
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) November 5, 2020
3.1-1-9-4
England's Sophie Ecclestone was on 🔥 in her first game of the #WomensT20Challenge 🏴
The No.1-ranked T20I bowler led the way as Trailblazers skittled Velocity for just 47 🤯 pic.twitter.com/vTTeNkooUp
— ICC (@ICC) November 5, 2020
Absolutely filthy figures of 3.1-1-9-4 for Sophie Ecclestone as Velocity are bowled out for 47 by Trailblazers in the Women's T20 Challenge in Sharjah. She's so good.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) November 5, 2020
Sophie Ecclestone's spell today: 0101060WW00000W001W.
Brilliant T20 bowling.
No wonder she's well and truly the world's No. 1 T20 bowler in women's cricket. #WomensT20Challenge
— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) November 5, 2020
Sophie Ecclestone 😍 🔥🔥
Come on the #Trailblazers #JioWomensT20Challenge #IPL2020
— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93) November 5, 2020
Sophie Ecclestone's figures for #Trailblazers against Velocity:
3.1 overs
1 maiden
9 runs
4 wickets👏👏👏#IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/bt2th03QFB
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 5, 2020
😎🤙🏻 congrats🔥 for win @mandhana_smriti 🤩#smriti #Trailblazers pic.twitter.com/XsbW46v9ZQ
— Charan (@charufan1) November 5, 2020
This is the problem with such a short tournament.
The No. 1 ranked bowler bowls a dream spell and knocks over the best batting lineup.
And then people make sweeping assumptions about the standard of women's batting.
Give them more games to show what they can do. #EqualHue
— Snehal Pradhan (@SnehalPradhan) November 5, 2020
Sophie Ecclestone on 🔥 #VELvTBL #WomensT20Challenge
— Thusi 🦁 (@thusi_c) November 5, 2020