WT20 Challenge SNO vs VEL – Who Said What: Back to Back Games Can be Difficult -Mithali Raj
Mitali Raj and Co won the match by five wickets against Supernovas in the first match of Women's T20 Challenge. Mithali Raj said in post-match presentation that “Back to back games can be difficult, because we aren't getting time to recover”
The first match of the Women’s T20 Challenge was played between Velocity and Harmanpreet Kaur-led Supernovas in Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah on Wednesday in which Mitali Raj and Co won the match by five wickets.
Batting first after losing the toss, Supernovas scored 126 runs at the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 20 overs. In response, Velocity scored 129 runs losing five wickets in 19.5 overs and won the match by five wickets. Sushma Verma (34), Veda Krishnamurthy (29) and Sune Luus (37 *) batted brilliantly for Velocity. At the same time, Ayabonga Khaka bowled well for Supernovas. He took two wickets for 27 runs in four overs.
Sunne Luus was awarded Player of the Match for his match winning knock against Supernovas. She smashed 37 runs off 21 balls with the help of 4 fours, 1 six and remained unbeaten.
Winning Skipper, Mithali Raj’s Reaction:
“It is challenging. Most players played the T20 World Cup, but for Jhulan and me it’s been long. I was expecting 120-130 in the first innings. Wish we had a decent opening start, because in low scoring games that’s important. Losing Danny Wyatt was big because she’s a main player, and a bit nervous too. But Veda played well, with Sushma and Sune too. Such platforms help our younger players. They can see Harmanpreet, Smriti and so on and prepare with them. Back to back games can be difficult, because we aren’t getting time to recover, but that is what it is. When we wake up, we’ll be preparing again.”
Losing Skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur’s Reaction:
“To win games you need to keep bowling well. Whatever we thought, in the last couple of overs, we didn’t bowl according to plan. They batted really well, got to appreciate that. In the end they batted really well. In the end in our last four batting overs, we didn’t utilize well. Even a single per ball would’ve been good enough but we didn’t get that. Playing after a long time, it’s not easy, but if you keep winning only then can you survive in this tournament. Need to come back with a positive approach. Bit of dew in the end but it’s part of the conditions. Felt we simply did not bowl well in the last couple of overs.”
Player of the Match, Sune Luus’s Reaction:
“It was a difficult task. The other team bowled very well, but Veda and Sushma batted really well, rotated the strike and hit boundaries too. Sushma told me every ball to stay here till the end. I didn’t find the surface that difficult, and it was coming on quite nicely. You saw the sixes that we managed to hit. I think it played nicely throughout the innings, so I think it depends on your style of batting whether the conditions suit you or not. We’re very grateful to the BCCI and the ICC, for organizing a tournament like this, especially in these crazy times.”
