MUSCAT: Oman Women’s Cricket Academy beat Indian Social Club Women by 47 runs in the final of  the Women’s League Season 2021/22. 

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, OWCA put up a formidable first innings score of  157/2 at the end of their 20 overs. 

ISC Women started the match on the front foot, sending Nitya Joshi back for a golden duck in  the very first over. But a 138-run third wicket partnership between newcomer Nayan Anil and  Sakshi Vijaya Shetty completely turned the tide in OWCA’s favour. Sakshi top scored with a  66-ball 78 that included 9 boundaries. Nayan ended the innings unbeaten on 57. 

The pair rotated strike effectively and dispatched loose balls to the boundary efficiently – a  combination that first served to put the pressure back on ISC after Nitya’s dismissal, and then  keep it that way for the rest of the innings. They were clinical and composed under pressure  and by the time ISC managed to break their stand in the 19th over, the damage had already  been done. They went into the dressing room at half-time with a mountain to climb. 

As it turned out ISC Women fell well short, mustering 110/6 after 120 deliveries. Suhaani  Dadhwal top scored with 35 runs. 

Trupti Pawde was dismissed cheaply in the powerplay, but Suhaani and Priyanka Mendonca  kept ISC in the game. Priyanka was the pick of the ISC bowlers in the first innings too and followed up her figures of 1/25 with a 28-ball 31. Suhaani scored at a much slower pace, but  she locked down the other end of the wicket and the pair managed to erect a 64-run stand. 

However, Priyanka’s untimely run-out in the 14th over ended all hopes of a successful run chase. The asking rate was sky high, and with boundaries proving elusive, the ISC batters  desperately looked for risky singles and doubles to keep the scoreboard ticking. OWCA took  full advantage and inflicted two further runouts to put the result beyond doubt. 

Snehal Nair was their star with the ball in hand, giving away just 15 runs from her 4 overs while  also picking up a deserved wicket at the death. 

BRIEF SCORES: 

OWCA Women 157/2 in 20 overs (Sakshi Vijaya Shetty 78(66) 9 x 4 , Nayan Anil 67(57) 6 x  4 ; Priyanka Mendonca 25/1) beat ISC Women 110/6 in 20 overs (Suhaani Dadhwal 35(50) 1  x 4 ; Snehal Nair 15/1) by 47 runs.