Deepti Sharma, TP Kanwer power India Red to victory

India Red beat India Blue in the first match of the BCCI Women's T20 Challenger Trophy in Alur, Karnataka. Earlier, India Red captain Deepti Sharma won the toss and decided to field first in overcast conditions.

Being asked to bat first, Mithali Raj led India Blue started well with both openers looking in good touch. However, Vanitha VR lost her wicket to Shanti Kumari in the 4th over for 12 which included 1 six and 1 four. Raj and Hemalatha tried to stitch a partnership which lasted for 35 balls in which they scored 26 runs before Hemalatha lost her wicket for 11 off 25 balls to Kanwer.

After this wickets continued to fell from one end with the captain holding her fortress from the other bringing up her half-century off 49 balls, an innings which constituted 7 fours and 1 six. None of the other batters scored in double digits.

Deepti Sharma and TP Kanwer bagged 2 wickets for India Red with Shanti Kumari picking 1 wicket. 3 of the India Blue batters were run out. India Red had a good day on the field restricting India Blue for 100.

Sharma opened the batting alongside Himachal's Harleen Deol chasing 101. Deol could not score big getting out on 7 losing her wicket to the returning Mansi Joshi. Skipper Sharma tried to form a partnership with Punam Raut and later Disha Kasat but both of them didn't stay long at the crease and lost their wicket to Anuja Patil and Radha Yadav respectively.

Number 5 batter Mona Meshram and Deepti Sharma then took their team to victory forming an unbeaten 35 runs partnership before rains started pouring. With no signs of the clouds clearing up, India Red beat India Blue by 7 wickets (VJD Method) as they were above the par score of 72 at that point.

India Red captain Deepti Sharma top-scored for them with an unbeaten 45 while Mona Meshram remained unbeaten on 14. Mansi Joshi, Anuja Patil and Radha Yadav bagged 1 wicket each for India Blue.