Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: The Goa girls put up a spirited performance despite suffering a four wicket defeat against Jharkhand in the Women’s Under 15 One Day Trophy Elite tournament on Tuesday. Although the result marked Goa’s third consecutive loss in the competition, the team displayed clear improvement, particularly with the bat, at the Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
After winning the toss, Goa opted to bat first and delivered their most competitive showing of the tournament so far. For the first time in the event, the side crossed the 100 run mark, finishing with 129 for 6 in the allotted 35 overs. Openers Norah DSouza and Teertha Patnekar laid a solid foundation with a 52 run partnership, giving Goa early stability. Norah top scored with a composed 30, while Teertha chipped in with 12.
The middle order also rose to the occasion, with wicketkeeper batter Joya Meer anchoring the innings with a well compiled 37. Shreeshtika Shivarkar added valuable runs with a confident 25, helping Goa post a total that proved challenging on the day. Jharkhand’s bowling effort was led by Surbhi Kumari, who claimed two wickets, while the rest of the attack kept things tight without running through the batting order.
Jharkhand’s chase began on an unsteady note as Goa’s bowlers struck early. The opposition was reduced to 19 for 4, raising hopes of a possible upset. However, Aanyaa Verma played a match defining innings, remaining unbeaten on 69. She found support in Nandani Kumari, who scored 25, and the pair added 65 runs for the fifth wicket to stabilise the chase.
Goa’s bowlers continued to fight, with Vidika Sawant delivering an impressive spell of 2 for 19 from seven overs. Arya Parab also picked up two wickets, while Shreeshtika Shivarkar and Pooja Kalel claimed one each. Jharkhand eventually reached 130 for 6 in 34.1 overs, sealing the win but not without resistance.
Despite the loss, Goa’s improved batting and competitive bowling offered positives as the tournament progresses.
