India's emerging all-round sensation Shreyanka Patil defended 12 runs in the last over to help the India A side beat England A in the first game of the three-match T20 series at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 29.
Tasked to overcome an arduous challenge by her skipper Minnu Mani, Player of the Match (POTM) Shreyanka kept her cool throughout the last over and helped her side take the crucial early lead in the series. The last over began on the worst possible note for Shreyanka and India as she conceded five runs (four and a wide) without bowling a legitimate delivery.
However, the 21-year-old pulled things back immediately and conceded just four more runs to complete the over and seal the deal for the Women in Blue. She got the wicket of Ryana MacDonald-Gay on the penultimate delivery of the match and ran Lauren Filer out herself on the last ball to end her successful over.
Watch the last ball of the match:
Earlier in the day, India captain Mani won the toss and decided to put runs on the board. The India A batters got starts but got out without converting them into imposing scores. Top-order batter Disha Kasat top-scored (25 off 32 balls) for the hosts and helped them post 134 for the loss of seven wickets in their 20 overs.
England A skipper Charlie Dean was the pick of the English bowlers. She bagged 2/19 in her four overs and kept breathing down the necks of the India A batters.
In reply, a 70-run stand between Hollie Armitage and wicketkeeper-batter Seren Smale brought the visitors close to victory but the India captain broke the stand and brought her side back into the contest. Mani dismissed Armitage who was batting on 52 off 41 balls and the dismissal lifted the spirits of the home side.
Emerging bowling allrounder Kashvee Gautam got the better of Smale (31 off 32 balls) four balls later and put mockers on England's chase.
