Team Goemkarponn Panaji: Goa Under-19 women delivered a spirited performance against Tamil Nadu in the Women’s Under-19 Elite Cricket Tournament at Alur Cricket Stadium 2 in Bengaluru on Saturday, but narrowly missed out on victory as Tamil Nadu chased down the target off the final ball to win by two wickets.
Batting first, Goa posted a competitive 116 for three in their allotted 20 overs, with Usma Khan leading the innings through an unbeaten half century. She scored 50 not out off 45 deliveries, striking four boundaries and a six to anchor Goa’s batting effort.
Khan received valuable support from Joya Meer, who remained unbeaten on 22. The pair stitched together an unbroken 65 run partnership to guide Goa to a respectable total after building the innings with composure in the closing overs.
Tamil Nadu’s chase began poorly as Goa’s bowlers applied early pressure, reducing the opposition to 20 for three. The early wickets put Goa in a promising position, raising hopes of defending their total.
However, Tamil Nadu recovered through a determined batting effort. Nandhana Sridharan top scored with 41, while Madhumitha Anbu contributed 23. Samyuktha Saranya added 14 and Poojashrini Ulaganathan scored 12 as the visitors gradually rebuilt their innings despite losing wickets at regular intervals.
Goa’s bowling attack was led by Nikhila Naik, who claimed three wickets for 27 runs. Pooja Kalel also made an important contribution with two wickets for 11 runs, keeping Goa firmly in contention during the chase.
Nandini Chauhan, Usma Khan and Vidhi Bhandare picked up one wicket each. Despite the disciplined bowling effort and the pressure created by the early breakthroughs, Tamil Nadu held their nerve in a tense finish to reach the target on the final delivery.
The narrow defeat was a tough result for Goa, whose competitive batting display and determined bowling performance pushed Tamil Nadu to the very end.
Brief Scorecard
Goa Under-19 Women: 116/3 in 20 overs
Usma Khan 50 not out, Joya Meer 22 not out. Nandhana Sridharan 1/21, Madhumitha Anbu 1/22, Joshna Angel 1/28.
Tamil Nadu Under-19 Women:
Nandhana Sridharan 41, Madhumitha Anbu 23, Samyuktha Saranya 14, Poojashrini Ulaganathan 12. Nikhila Naik 3/27, Pooja Kalel 2/11, Nandini Chauhan 1/21, Usma Khan 1/9, Vidhi Bhandare 1/33.
