Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral
Panaji: The Goa women’s cricket team registered a hard-fought 16-run victory over Saurashtra in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy Elite match played at the Taurian World School Ground in Ranchi on Tuesday. With this win, Goa climbed to fourth position in Group C with eight points.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Goa got off to a steady start. Openers Purvaja Verlekar and Harshita Yadav added 48 runs for the first wicket. Purvaja struck a composed 51 off 51 balls, hitting seven fours and a six, while Harshita contributed 34. Tejaswini Duragad supported well with 34 runs as Goa crossed the 100-run mark comfortably.
However, a middle-order collapse saw Goa slip from 122/1 to 147/6, losing Tanisha Gaikwad (0), Diksha Amonkar (4) and Vinavi Gurav (4) in quick succession.
At a crucial stage, Poorva Bhaidkar and Shreya Parab rebuilt the innings with a vital partnership. Poorva anchored the recovery with a brilliant 72 off 73 balls, including seven boundaries, while Shreya added a steady 42 off 45 balls. Presha Naik chipped in with a quick unbeaten 18 to power Goa to a competitive 272/8 in 50 overs. T. Dharani was the pick of the Saurashtra bowlers with figures of 4/48.
In reply, Saurashtra got off to a strong start through Umeshvari Jethva (47) and Riddhi Ruparel (82), who put on 96 runs for the opening wicket. Presha Naik broke the partnership, giving Goa a much-needed breakthrough.
Goa’s bowlers then tightened their grip on the game. Harshita Yadav and Poorva Bhaidkar claimed two wickets each, while Shreya Parab and Presha Naik chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Although Ayushi (44* off 33 balls) and Modhwadia (22* off 15 balls) attempted a late charge, Goa held their nerve in the final overs to restrict Saurashtra to 256/6 in 50 overs and seal a memorable 16-run victory.
Brief Scores:
Goa Women: 272/8 in 50 overs (Poorva Bhaidkar 72, Purvaja Verlekar 51, Shreya Parab 42, Harshita Yadav 34; T. Dharani 4/48)
Saurashtra Women: 256/6 in 50 overs (Riddhi Ruparel 82, Umeshvari Jethva 47, Ayushi 44*; Harshita Yadav 2/43, Poorva Bhaidkar 2/45)
Goa’s balanced performance with both bat and ball ensured a crucial win in the tournament.
