Women's T20 Challenge: Supernovas' Pooja Vastrakar reveals how she dismissed Smriti Mandhana
May 24, 2022
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 24 : Supernovas bowler Pooja Vastrakar said on Monday that her plan was to back her strengths while bowling to Trailblazers skipper Smriti Mandhana during their Women's T20 Challenge match at MCA Stadium in Pune.
Clinical knocks by batters and a four-wicket haul by Pooja Vastrakar guided Supernovas to a 49-run win against Trailblazers in the opening match of the Women's T20 Challenge here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Monday.
"I had only one plan, to back my strengths. Otherwise, I had my second option if it did not work," Vastrakar said during a post-match discussion with batters Harleen Deol and Priya Punia.
Harleen Deol said that her mindset was positive. "The wicket was good and ball was coming nicely and I was playing accordingly. I was looking at the field as to where I could get a boundary."
"My body language was positive and I took it one ball at a time," added batter Priya Punia.
Coming to the match, batting first, Supernovas were bundled out for 163 in their 20 overs. Deandra Dottin (32), Harleen Deol (35) and Harmanpreet Kaur (37) played useful knocks for their side. Hayley Matthews (3/29) was the Trailblazers' top bowler.
Chasing 164, Trailblazers got off a good start with Matthews (18) and Smriti Mandhana (34) scoring well. But the spell by pacer Pooja Vastrakar (4/12) wreaked havoc on the batting attack. From a solid 2/63 in 7.2 overs, they were reduced to 114/9 in their 20 overs, losing the game by 49 runs.
With this win, Supernovas are at the top of the points table with 2 points while Trailblazers are right in the middle with none. At the bottom is Velocity, which will kick off its campaign against Supernovas on Tuesday.
