Womens T20 Challenge 2022: Velocity set up final battle against Supernovas despite a 16-run loss to Trailblazers

• Image Credit: Internet

• May 27, 2022 | Dhupali Das

Matthews and Dunkley combined for 32 points off of 16 to get them closer to the 200-point mark.

Digital Desk: Velocity qualified for the final of the Women's T20 Challenge 2022 even after a 16-run loss against the defending champion Trailblazers at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Thursday. 

Velocity advanced to the final in a virtual knockout competition after surpassing the Trailblazers' NRR quotient after clearing 158 in a huge 191-run chase - the most in tournament history.

In their Women's T20 Challenge match versus Velocity, Trailblazers batted first and scored a challenging 190 for 5. Sabbhineni Meghana top-scored with 73 off 47 balls, while Jemimah Rodrigues smashed 44 balls to make a 44-ball 66. In three overs, Velocity's Simran Bahadur took two wickets for 31 runs.

Meghana hit two strong drives down the pitch off Kate Cross, but the bowler came back to hit Mandhana with an easy catch by Simran. Meghana's wicket could have been added to Cross's tally, but Sneh Rana dropped her at the point. Rodrigues then hit two fours off Deepti Sharma to help the Trailblazers collect 47 runs on the powerplay.

Meghana ripped apart the opposition, hitting Radha Yadav for two sixes in the 10th over, one an inside-out drive-over covers and the other over the bowler's head. Rodrigues, too, hit some beautiful strokes on her way to a fifty in the 14th over off 30 balls.

Meghana broke the chains as she launched Shafali Verma over far off for her third six. Meghana was given another chance when Khaka dropped her at backward point, and she blasted a six and four off Rana before Cross held on to one at long-off to eventually dismiss the opener. 

Before the former was blasted out to Khaka, Rodrigues and Matthews added another 31 off 15 balls. Matthews and Dunkley combined for 32 points off of 16 to get them closer to the 200-point mark.