Kolkata: In a stellar display of teamwork and leadership, the Jammu & Kashmir Senior Women’s Cricket Team triumphed over the strong Baroda side in their opening match of the Senior Women One Day Trophy league phase, being held in Kolkata. Winning the toss and electing to bowl first, the J&K team showcased an impressive bowling performance, restricting Baroda to a total of 255 in their allotted 50 overs.
The bowling attack was spearheaded by medium-pacer Sarla Devi, who picked up two wickets, and Rubiya Sayed, who scalped three crucial wickets. Spinners Sandhya and Ananya Sharma contributed with two and one wickets, respectively, while two sharp run-outs added to Baroda’s woes. Chasing 256, J&K faced an early setback, losing two quick wickets. Shivanti Gupta (10 off 23 balls) and Chitra Singh Jamwal (5 off 5 balls) fell early. However, opener Bawandeep Kaur played a gritty knock of 60 off 98 balls, stabilizing the innings alongside skipper Jasia Akhter. Jasia led from the front with a magnificent unbeaten 124 off just 98 balls, hitting 13 fours and 4 sixes, showcasing her class and leadership.
The innings was further accelerated by all-rounder Rubiya Sayed, who scored a quickfire 50* off 40 balls, smashing 7 fours and 1 six. The duo’s partnership guided J&K to a comfortable victory, as they chased the target in just 44.3 overs with a score of 259/4. Commending the team’s outstanding performance, Brigadier Anil Gupta, Member Administration of the JKCA, congratulated the players on their emphatic win and urged them to maintain their winning momentum despite facing tough opponents in the group stage. Mithun Manhas, Member Cricket Operations and Development, praised the team’s adherence to processes and highlighted the importance of teamwork under the guidance of the new coach. Sunil Sethi also lauded the team for their commendable performance. J&K’s victory marks a promising start to their campaign, setting a high standard for the matches to come.
