Celeste Superwomen scored a comfortable 24-run victory over MCC Estilo Legends in the final to lift the Goa Women’s Premier League trophy at GCA Academy ground, Porvorim on Sunday night.
A rollicking 100 by player-of-the match Jasia Akhtar was the highlight of the final as the Celeste Superwomen batter put on an exhibition of power-hitting, and also finished the tournament with the top aggregate of 418 runs. Two centuries and three half-centuries by the dominant J&K batter Jasia also earned her the Player-of-the Tournament award.
Sayali Lonkar of Celeste Superwomen was named the best bowler for her 11 wickets haul, while Gautami Naik (MCC Estilo Legends) was adjudged the best batter for her aggregate of 243 runs. Bharti Gaonkar of Celeste Superwomen won the best fielder prize. Social Welfare minister Subhash Phaldessai was the chief guest and gave away the prizes along with other dignitaries.
Faced with the challenge of chasing Superwomen total of 173/4, MCC Estilo Legends could manage 149/8 and finished runners-up of the first-of-its kind of women’s league, which hopefully will boost women’s cricket in Goa.
MCC Estilo Legends made slow progress after having brought up their fifty in the sixth over. They were in the game at 56/2 at the end of power-play stage. However, Celeste Superwomen bowlers did a good job in restricting their opponents to ones and twos and were backed by the fielders as the Margao-based outfit took their total to 77/2 at the half-way stage. Opener, Gautami Naik kept MCC Estilo Legends in the hunt with her strokeful half-century. However as the asking rate increased, Gautami had to look for boundaries more often, with Sayali Lonkar trapping the tall batter LBW in the 16th over for 76 runs off 55 balls, which consisted 10 boundaries and a sixer.
At the other end, captain Sunanda Yetrekar was happy to accumulate singles while Gautami was the one taking risks. However, the experienced Goan cricketer took the matter in her hands in the 19th over, hitting two fantastic sixes off the bowling of Poorva Bhaidkar, who ended up giving away 16 runs in the over. In the end, Sunanda’s charge proved too little too late though as the all-rounder scored 42 runs off 35 balls (2×4, 2×6) in her fighting knock. Sayali was the most successful bowler for Celeste Superwomen as she picked three wickets. Poorva took two wickets.
Earlier, Celeste Superwomen won the toss and batted first. Once again, the opening duo of Jasia and captain Vinavi Gurav gave their team a century-partnership to lay a solid foundation for the huge total of 173/4. However, Jasia was lucky on two occasions as she first survived a stumping attempt when wicket-keeper Divya Naik fumbled in the collection off the bowling of captain Sunanda Yetrekar. Jasia, who was just about starting to get going then, got her range of shots right thereafter as she accumulated four boundaries and four sixers; before she got a second lifeline when boundary-rider Diksha Amonkar dropped a sitter when the Delhi Capitals squad member was on 49.
At the other end, Vinavi played her role to perfection as she kept the scoreboard ticking with her skill of playing with soft hands to pinch in singles, while also hitting three boundaries when opportunity came in. The duo brought up the 100-run stand in the 13th over. With all wickets intact, Jasia forced the scoring rate with some stunning shots for sixes; especially the consecutive maximums of Gautami Naik’s bowling, were superbly timed as she neared her second century of the Goa Women’s Premier League.
MCC Estilo Legends finally broke the partnership in the 16th over as Vinavi was run out for 48 runs, with the team total being 129. Jasia kept going strong at the other end, and reached her hundred off 56 balls, which included seven boundaries and seven sixes; before she was stumped of the next ball as Kesha Patel bowled the last over of the inning, taking two wickets on consecutive deliveries.