Women's T20 Challenge: Disciplined Velocity bowlers restrict Supernova to 126/8

SHARJAH: Left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht scalped three batters as Velocity put up a disciplined bowling effort to restrict defending champions Superonva to a modest 126 for eight in the opening match of Women's T20 Challenge, here on Wednesday.
Apart from Bisht, New Zealand off-spinner Leigh Kasperek (2/23) and medium pacer Jahanara Alam (2/27) also contributed in stifling the holders.
Jahanara dismissed key batters -- Harmanpreet Kaur (31) and Chamara Atapattu (44) -- to derail Supernova.
Sri Lankan T20 skipper Atapattu and her Indian counterpart Harmanpreet had seized control in the back end but their 47-run partnership was broken by Jahanara with Veda Krishnamurthy taking calm-headed skier in the long on.
Jahanara later dismissed Harmanpreet for 31 after the Indian skipper holed out at short fine leg. It triggered a collapse as the defending champions lost four wickets for 15 runs.
Chamari slammed two sixes and two boundaries in a 39-ball 44, while Harmanpreet hit two sixes and one boundary.
Velocity made some early inroads with their spinner duo of Leigh Kasperek and Ekta Bisht dismissing Priya Punia (11) and Jemimah Rodrigues (7) inside eight overs.
But Supernova took control in the back end with Chamari breaking free against Manali Dakshini.
The Sri Lankan T20 skipper hit Manali inside out over cover and in the next over pulled Kasperek over deep mid-wicket for her second six to lift the run-rate.
But Chamari fell six runs short of a half-century as Supernovas failed to shift gear afterwards.