Cricket News: Women's T20 Challenge - Velocity beat Supernovas, to face Trailblazers now

Velocity beat defending champions Supernovas by five wickets in the first match of the Women's T20 challenge in Sharjah. Velocity captain Mithali Raj won the toss and chose to bowl first. Priya Punia and Chamari Atapattu scored 30 runs for the opening wicket in 5.2 overs. Jemimah Rodrigues failed to make much of an impact as she was dismissed for just 7. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur brought some stability to the innings with the batter stitching a partnership of 47 runs alongside Atapattu. Ekta Bisht bagged three wickets for Velocity while Leigh Kasperek and Jahanara Alam bagged 2 wickets each as Supernovas were restricted to 126/8 in 20 overs. Chasing 127-run target Velocity got off to a poor start losing their English opener Danni Wyatt for a duck. Shafali Verma and skipper Mithali Raj soon followed her back to the pavilion. Veda Krishnamurthy and Sushma Verma steadied the ship. Sushma continued to attack despite Veda's dismissal stitching a crucial 51-run partnership alongside South African cricketer Sune Luus. Luus was star performer for Velocity scoring 37 runs off 21 balls and helping the side get across the line in 19.5 overs. The Velocity chase started off on a poor note, with English opener Danni Wyatt dismissed for a duck. Shafali Verma and skipper Mithali Raj soon followed her back to the pavilion, following cheap dismissals. However, a fine 29 from Veda Krishnamurthy alongside Sushma Verma, helped lend some much-needed stability at this stage. Sushma continued to attack despite Veda's dismissal, stitching a crucial 51-run partnership alongside South African cricketer Sune Luus. Luus was the star of the night for Velocity, smashing 37 runs off 21 deliveries, helping the side get across the line in 19.5 overs following Sushma's dismissal.