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The Mussoorie Thunders showcased their prowess across all facets of the game, securing a commanding eight-wicket victory over the Pithoragarh Hurricanes in a crucial do-or-die showdown to book their place in the final of the Women's Uttarakhand Premier League.
Friday's Women's Uttarakhand Premier League clash between Mussoorie Thunders and Pithoragarh Hurricanes had a knockout feel, with the winner set to join Nainital SG Pipers in Saturday's final. The cornerstone of Mussoorie's remarkable victory was established by their bowlers, who showcased a disciplined and unified effort, which was subsequently complemented by a strong Nandini Kashyap-led batting display. Chasing 120, Mussoorie Thunders' openers Shagun Chaudhary and Anjali Goswami gave their team a composed start, capitalizing on the powerplay overs effectively. By the sixth over, they had taken their team to 40 without loss. However, the 45-run opening stand was broken in the following over when the Pithoragarh Hurricanes' Neelam Bhardwaj claimed the crucial wicket of Shagun Chaudhary, who departed after scoring 27 off 26 balls. Anjali Goswami was joined at the crease by Nandini Kashyap as they aimed to maintain the momentum. Early in her innings, Nandini Kashyap demonstrated her winning intent by striking three consecutive fours off Neelam Bisht in a single over. The duo stitched a solid 57-run stand before Anjali Goswami was dismissed for run-a-ball 32 in the 14th over. However, this wicket did little to hinder Mussoorie's momentum, as the target remained well within their grasp. Nandini Kashyap sealed the victory in style, reaching her half-century with a boundary. She finished unbeaten on 50 runs from just 28 deliveries, featuring seven fours and two sixes. Earlier, Pithoragarh Hurricanes, who were sent in to bat first, suffered an early blow when opener Ananya Mehra was caught and bowled by Garima Bisht for a duck. From there, Muskan Kumari batted sensibly while Neelam Bhardwaj took up the mantle of scoring at a brisk pace. Their 66-run partnership gave them the confidence to aim for a competitive total, but the Mussoorie Thunders' bowlers struck back with regular wickets in the latter half of the innings. Muskan Kumari was dismissed in the 11th over, with Rudra Sharma trapping her leg before wicket for a 33-ball 32. In the last five overs, the Pithoragarh Hurricanes lost five wickets, which affected their flow of runs. Neelam Bhardwaj missed out on her half-century, falling short by just two runs. Her 44-ball 48 featured six boundaries. Mussoorie Thunders' captain Mansi Joshi and Prema Rawat stood out with two wickets each, restricting the Hurricanes to 119/7. (ANI)
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