West Indies Women’s all-rounder Deandra Dottin helped paved the way for Trailblazers to complete a 16-run win over Supernova in the final of the triangular Women’s Twenty20 Challenge on Monday.
Dottin made 20 and shared a half-century opening stand with her captain, India International Smriti Mandhana to anchor Trailblazers to a modest 118 for eight from their allocation of 20 overs.
The Barbadian all-rounder did not bowl, but off-spinners Salma Khatun and Deepti Sharma shared five wickets and Supernova failed to successfully chase the victory target on a slow pitch at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Dottin struck only one four in a 32-ball stay at the crease and she was overshadowed by Mandhana, whose 68 from 49 balls that included five fours and three sixes was the top score, after Trailblazers were put into bat in the final of the three-team competition.
“It was great to be part of this,” said Dottin. “I always wanted to be selected for the Women’s T20 Challenge and to play for the team winning the trophy is really awesome.
“I was struggling a bit with my timing because of the condition of the pitch, but it was really enjoyable standing there and watching Smriti bat from the other end. I was more than happy to turn over the strike to her because she was hitting the ball really well.”
Dottin shared 71 for the first wicket with Mandhana before she was caught at mid-on off Poonam Yadav in the 12th over.
No other Trailblazers batsmen reached 20 and Dottin’s dismissal sparked a decline that saw eight-wicket fall for 47 in the final 54 balls of the innings.
Supernova’s batting never ignited in the chase and Sharma tied them down in the middle overs with two for nine from three overs before Khatun sliced through them in the second half of the chase, ending with three for 18 from four overs.
India international Harmanpreet Kaur hit the top score of 30.
CMC
