SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, CMC – West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin belted a cameo to propel Trailblazers to an opening nine-wicket victory over Velocity in the Women’s T20 Challenge here yesterday.
Chasing a modest 48 for victory at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Trailblazers stormed to their target off a mere 47 deliveries, with Dottin finishing unbeaten on 29 from 28 deliveries.
The right-hander struck three fours, putting on an entertaining 37 in an unbroken second wicket stand with 17-year-old Richa Ghosh who finished on 13 not out.
However, the platform for victory was laid by England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone who snatched four for nine from three overs and one ball, to destroy Velocity’s innings for just 47 off 15.1 overs.
Handed the new ball, she found herself on a hat-trick when she removed captain Mithali Raj for one and Veda Krishnamurthy without scoring with successive deliveries in the fourth over, and though Sushma Verma avoided the hat-trick, Velocity slumped to 27 for seven in the ninth over and never recovered.
Opener Shafali Verma top-scored with 13 and was one of only three players to reach double figures.
New ball seamer Jhulan Goswami and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad both supported with two for 13. Trailblazers then stumbled in their run chase when they lost captain Smriti Mandhana for six with the score on 12 in the fourth over but Dottin quickly put her side back on course for the comfortable victory.
She took a boundary each off seamer Shikha Pandey and left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht in the overs following, before sweeping Bisht for another four at the start of the eighth over to put Trailblazers on the brink of victory.
Ghosh finished the game in style off the fifth delivery of the same over, clearing the ropes at long on with a well-timed swing.
The three-team tournament, which bowled off Wednesday, runs until November 9 and is being played alongside the knockout stages of the ongoing Indian Premier League.
