Sabbhineni Meghna and Jemima Rodrigues smashed a scintillating half-century to score 190 for five against Velocity in the Women’s T20 Challenge match here on Thursday.
Meghna, who was ruled out of her opening game, played a blistering knock of 73 off 47 balls and shared a partnership of 113 runs off 73 balls to lay the foundation for Jemima Rodrigues (66 off 44 balls).
Hayley Matthews (27 off 15) and Sofia Dunkley (19 off 8) provided the late charge as the defending champions posted the highest score in the history of the tournament.
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The only team to open their account, the Trailblazers came into the match, needing a big win to qualify for the finals. They have to limit the velocity to within 158 to make the summit clash.
Meghna was sent to bat after Trailblazers captain Smriti Mandhana (1) lost early.
The 25-year-old from Andhra Pradesh, who was dropped at 16 and 63, displayed her big-hitting skills, hitting seven fours and four sixes.
Rodrigues also hit seven fours and a six in his 44-ball innings.
Velocity was very erratic on the field as their butterfinger fielders dropped four catches – two in Simran Bahadur’s over.
Meghna delivers two good hits off Kate Cross but the bowler takes a simple catch from Simran to dismiss Mandhana.
Cross could have added Meghna’s wicket to his list but Sneh Rana drops it on point.
Rodrigues hit two fours off Deepti Sharma and the Trailblazers scored 47 for one in the powerplay.
Meghna splits the attack, sending Radha Yadav for two sixes – one shot from inside out over cover and the other over the bowler’s head – on her way to her half-century in the 10th over.
Rodrigues also played some excellent shots and completed his half-century in 30 balls in the 14th over.
Shafali Verma and Ayabonga Khaka bowled two good overs but Meghna breaks the chains, launching Verma at long off for her third six.
Meghna got another relief when Khaka dropped her to backward point and she smacked Rana for a six and a boundary, before Cross could catch one at long-off to finally get rid of the opener.
Rodrigues and Mathews added another 31 runs in 15 balls before Khaka was dismissed.
Mathews and Dunkley shared 32 of 16 to bring them close to 200.
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