In a compelling display of skill at the Infipro Sports Club ground in Vadodara on Monday, the Uttar Pradesh under-19 women's cricket team registered a convincing five-wicket win over Goa in the Women's Youth One-Day Trophy (List A) match.
Goa's Batting Stumbles Despite Captain's Grit
Choosing to bat first after winning the toss, the Goa innings never found its footing and was bundled out for a modest total of 138 runs in 37.1 overs. The batting effort was single-handedly anchored by their resolute captain, Harshita Yadav, who played a magnificent knock of 77 runs off 96 deliveries. Her innings was studded with 11 boundaries as she watched her teammates fall at regular intervals from the other end.
The only notable support came from Sanchita S, who scored 12 runs. Together, they stitched a 31-run partnership, which stood as the highest of the innings. Apart from these two, no other Goa batter could reach double figures. Harshita's defiant stay finally ended when she gave a return catch to Siddhi Mishra, falling as the ninth wicket with the team score at 136.
The Uttar Pradesh bowling attack was disciplined and effective. Khushi Tyagi and Siddhi Mishra were the chief destroyers, picking up three wickets each. Bharti Singh provided the crucial breakthrough by dismissing Sanchita to break the developing partnership.
UP's Chase Overcomes Early Jitters
In response, the Uttar Pradesh chase did not begin smoothly. They lost their top three batters—Priyanshi Yadav, Shashi Balan, and Riya Bhati—with only 31 runs on the board, putting pressure on the middle order.
The innings was steadied by a 31-run stand for the fourth wicket between wicketkeeper-batter Saanvi Bhatia and opener Katyayani. The partnership was broken when Katyayani was run out after a patient 29 runs from 47 balls, which included four hits to the fence.
Undeterred, Saanvi then joined forces with skipper Khushi Tyagi to stage the match-winning partnership. The duo added a crucial 61 runs for the fifth wicket to swing the game decisively in UP's favour. Khushi was dismissed after a valuable contribution of 33 runs, but Saanvi remained unbeaten till the end.
She guided the team home alongside Bharti Singh, adding an unbroken 19 runs for the sixth wicket. Saanvi Bhatia finished with an excellent, unbeaten 42 off 50 balls, striking six boundaries in her composed innings. Bharti Singh remained not out on 4. For Goa, Usma and Angel D'Costa managed to take two wickets apiece.
Brief Scores and Match Outcome
Goa: 138 all out in 37.1 overs (Harshita Yadav 77, Sanchita S 12; Khushi Tyagi 3/13, Siddhi Mishra 3/19, Bharti Singh 1/21).
Uttar Pradesh: 142/5 in 28.4 overs (Saanvi Bhatia 42*, Khushi Tyagi 33, Katyayani 29; Usma 2/30, Angel D'Costa 2/41).
Result: Uttar Pradesh won by 5 wickets.
This victory marks a strong start for the Uttar Pradesh side in the national tournament, showcasing a balanced team performance with both bat and ball. The team successfully overcame early setbacks in the chase, highlighting their depth and resilience.
