Lanning… leading the way.
| Photo Credit: WPL
Win toss, bowl first, chase it down.
There was no change in the pattern on Wednesday night in WPL 3. The first leg of the league ended at the BCA Stadium with Delhi Capitals beating UP Warriorz by seven wickets with a ball to spare.
When you have the best partnership in the tournament’s history, the chasing becomes a tad easier. Meg Lanning (69, 49b, 12×4) and Shafali Verma (26, 16b, 3×4, 1×6) gave the Capitals another splendid start. Chasing the Warriorz’s 166 for seven, they struck 65 in less than seven overs.
It was yet again the younger opener that put the pressure on the bowlers from early on. Shafali smashed young seamer Kranti Goud for a four and six off successive balls in the first over.
It seemed luck was favouring Shafali, as she was dropped by Chinelle Henry off the Warriorz captain Deepti Sharma at deep mid-wicket. But off the fifth ball of the over, the West Indian, making her WPL debut, redeemed herself and held the catch.
In the following over, Sophie Ecclestone sent Jemimah Rodrigues back for a two-ball duck. But Lanning was batting serenely.
She put on 49 for the third wicket with fellow-Australian Annabel Sutherland (41 not out, 35b, 4×4) before she shuffled across too much and was bowled by Grace Harris. Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp (29 not out, 17b, 4×4) then took their side home with their unbroken fourth wicket stand of 48.
Earlier, it was two blistering knocks, at either end of the innings, that gave UP Warriorz a fighting total.
Opener Kiran Navgire (51, 27b, 6×4, 3×6) and Henry (33 not out, 15b, 3×4, 3×6) delighted the big crowd that came to watch Vadodara’s last WPL match of the season. There was also a mature innings from the young Shweta Sehrawat (37, 33b, 4×4, 1×6).
But, it was Lanning’s experience that carried the night.
Published – February 20, 2025 12:53 am IST
Content Source: www.thehindu.com