Baroda thump Mumbai with collective batting effort to reach semis of Senior T20

Collective batting performance helped Baroda trump Mumbai to become the first semi-finalists of the Senior T20 Trophy. In a high scoring affair, Radha Yadav led side got the better of Jemimah Rodrigues’ Mumbai with eight balls to spare at the C K Pithawala Ground in Surat on Friday (April 29). Tarannum Pathan top-scored for Baroda with 55, while three other batters made 30-plus score at a strike rate of 150 or more.



Opting to bat first, Mumbai had a whirlwind start with openers Rodrigues and Simran Shaikh in the power play. Simran was the aggressor even as the Rodrigues fell to Yadav in the final over the power play with Mumbai score reading 48.



Post the power play, Simran was dismissed by a run out for 34 off just 22 balls. That caused a mini wobble and Mumbai were 66 for 3 at one stage before Humaira Kazi and Vrushali Bhagat added 34 runs to take them to 100.



However, it was the pair of Manali Dakshini and Saima Thakor provided Mumbai with the much needed impetus. The pace bowling pair came together when the score was 130 for 6 with only three overs to go and added 41 runs in quick time. Dakshini hit four boundaries during her stay, while Thakor had two hits to the fence and one over it.



At the end of the innings, Dakshini remained not out on 31 off 20 balls and Thakor scored an unbeaten 19 off nine balls.



For Baroda, Riddhi Maurya was the best bowler with figures of two for ten from her three overs.



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In the chase, Baroda got out of the blocks quickly with openers Palak Patel and Pathan adding 24 runs from the first two overs. Once Thakor accounted for Palak, Yastika Bhatia kept the momentum going and added 56 runs for the second wicket.



Rodrigues kept trying with new options and Mumbai were eventually rewarded with the big wicket of Bhatia when P Naik accounted for her. Bhatia made 33 off just 22 balls.



But that didn’t provide any respite for the Mumbai side as Yadav was even more aggressive and took on the bowlers with ease. Post Pathan’s dismissal, it was the turn of Hrutu Patel to go after the bowlers and in the company of her skipper, she helped Baroda chase down the target with more than over to spare.



Yadav was batting on 31 off 17 balls when Baroda reached the target, while Hrutu stayed unbeaten on a 28-ball 42. Both hit five sixes in between them. For Mumbai, Naik was the most frugal bowler as she picked up one wicket giving away 27 runs from her four overs.



Brief Scores: Mumbai 171/6 in 20 overs (Simran Shaikh 34, Manali Dakshini 31; Riddhi Maurya 2/10) lost to Baroda 173/3 in 18.4 overs (Tarannum Pathan 55, Hrutu Patel 42*; P Naik 1/27) by seven wickets