Supernovas won the WT20 Challenge by 4 runs.
The Women's T20 Challenge 2022 edition, which witnessed some of the highest scores in tournament history, came to a fitting conclusion as the final match went down to the wire.
Velocity lost a couple of wickets in the middle overs, and it appeared as though the chase had gotten away from them, as they needed 34 runs off the final two overs to win. Laura Wolvaardt and Simran Dil Bahadur, on the other hand, fought valiantly, the latter hitting three fours in a row in the 19th over to reduce the equation to 17 needed off 6.
Wolvaardt hit the opening ball of the final over, thrown by world's no.1 T20I bowler Sophie Ecclestone, for a six, putting Velocity within striking distance of victory. Ecclestone, on the other hand, held her cool and bowled a few yorkers in a row to help Supernovas win.
Four matches of the Women's T20 Challenge delivered some of the most thrilling cricket, while a few promising domestic players got an opportunity to showcase their abilities and talent on a huge stage, giving the spectators their money's worth.
Also Read: IPL 2022: Final, GT v RR- COC Predicted Playing XIs
Women's T20 Challenge was always supposed to be a stepping stone for a full-fledged Women's IPL, as Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur stated before the start of the competition, and it appears that this may be the final edition of the three-team event with only four games.
While the BCCI had previously stated that a Women's IPL may begin in 2023, the fans in Pune made sure that their views were heard by those in control of the tournament's extension.
During the exhilarating final two overs of the contest, the audience screamed "We want Women's IPL."
BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who was present at the final, praised the level of cricket on display and stated that the following season will undoubtedly be bigger.
"The quality of cricket one witnessed in Women's T20 Challenge was truly remarkable with the best of Indian talent rubbing shoulders with the best in the world. The future is certainly promising and the next season will be much bigger. @ImHarmanpreet @BCCIWomen," Shah wrote on Twitter.
The Supernovas, captained by Harmanpreet Singh, won their third title, with West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin starring with both bat and ball for the Women in Blue.