Poor response overshadows Supernovas' win

The much-hyped women's exhibition T20 match had an exciting finish but failed to attract a sizeable crowd on a sultry Tuesday afternoon despite the presence of the world's top women cricketers.

For the record, Supernovas chased down a target of 130 in a last-ball finish.

Needing 10 runs in last two overs, Ellyse Perry (13 not out) struck a boundary off Ekta Bisht but Mona Meshram (4) was run out by Smriti Mandhana off the last ball of the penultimate over.

Needing four off the last over, New Zealand international Suzie Bates conceded just a single in the first three deliveries bringing the equation down to run-a-ball.

A composed Pooja Vastrakar (2 not out) lofted to mid-wicket and completed a single to ensure a win for her side.

While a women's IPL is a novel idea, the response at the ground was a testimony that BCCI still has some way to go before the idea takes a final shape.

The lukewarm response was largely due to the timing of the match as Mumbaikars decided to conserve their energies for the 7 pm cracker between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Also, the BCCI diluted the concept, allowing all players from either side to take part in the match.

India's ODI captain Mithali Raj decided against fielding, something that didn't go unnoticed considering the likes of Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Sophie Devine showed utmost professionalism in adverse weather conditions.

The catch that Perry took to dismiss Jemimah Rodrigues during the Trailblazers' innings was out of the top drawer. Ditto for Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy's top-notch fielding efforts.

However, a women's IPL can only be a reality if the timings are suitable for spectators and taken to Tier-2 cities where the response would be much more than metros which have their own IPL teams.

Meanwhile, chasing 130, veteran Mithali (22) and Dani Wyatt conjured a 47-run-stand for the opening wicket. Mithali stuck a six, the first of the match, and followed it up with a boundary in the fifth over. But spinner Ekta Bisht broke the stand by removing Mithali, who was caught by Lea Tahuhu.

But just as it seemed Wyatt was taking the game away from Trailblazers, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav cut short her stay at the crease.

Australian skipper Meg Lanning (16) was in her elements before offering a sitter to Jemimah Rodrigues at long-off as the Supernovas slumped to 71/3 following a strong start.

But Harmapreet Kaur (21) and Sophie Divine (19) stitched a crucial 36-run-stand that took the game away from the Trailblazers.

Earlier, Bates (32 off 37 balls) and Rodrigues (25 off 23 balls) added 45 runs for the fifth wicket to ensure a decent total for the Trailblazers.

Brief scores: Trailblazers: 129/6 in 20 overs (Suzie Bates 32, Jemimah Rodrigues 25;  Megan Schutt 2-18, Ellyse Perry 2-20) lt to Supernovas: 130/7 in 20 overs (Dani Wyatt 24, Harmanpreet Kaur 21, Mithali Raj 22; Suzie Bates 2-16, Poonam Yadav 2-21).