With a seven-wicket win against India Blue in the final, India Red lifted the Women’s Challenger Trophy 2016-17. Smriti Mandhana led the 130-run chase in the one-day game with an unbeaten 62-run knock after the Jhulan Goswami-led attack had restricted the opposition to a sub-par score.
The Mithali Raj-led India Blue had won both their league matches to book a place in the finals while India Red had only beaten India Green in the run up to the finals.
In the all important finale, after Harmanpreet won the toss and put India Blue into bat, her bowlers kept the opposition on a tight leash. Led by Indian pacer spearhead, Goswami they restricted the team to 129 for nine in their quota of 50 overs. The pacer trapped opener Mona lbw in the first over while Sukanya Parida caught MD Thirrushkamini off her own bowling to leave India Blue on four for two.
17 runs later, Goswami had Raj lbw, while Parida followed up with the wicket of Punam Raut in the next over. The India Red attack ensured that they didn’t let the opposition build partnerships by striking at regular intervals. Rajeshwari accounted for Veda Krishnamurthy 28 runs later to leave the opposition on 49 for five while Shikha Pandey was sent back by DP Vaidya without a run added to the score line.
Goswami, Parida and Rajeshwari finished with two wickets each while Ekta Bisht, Vaidya and Harmanpreet picked a wicket each to restrict India Blue.
India Red then chased down the target within 30.4 overs. After a 47-run opening stand with Vanitha VR, Mandhana continued to anchor the chase with ease. Niranjana Nagarajan and Mandeep Kaur chipped in with 13 runs each as they worked to close in on the target.
Harmanpreet then joined the opener in taking the team across the line with over 19 overs to spare in the final game of the tournament.
P Bose claimed two wickets after A Patil ended the opening stand as India Blue looked to defend the total.
Smriti Mandhana topped the highest run-getters list with 192 runs from three matches while Poonam Yadav finished as the leading wicket-taker with six wickets from three games.
