Sayali Satghare shines as SOBO Mumbai Falcons clinch historic first win in inaugural T20 Mumbai Women's League
Mumbai, June 2
A new chapter in Mumbai cricket history was written on Tuesday as the inaugural T20 Mumbai Women's League got underway at the Wankhede Stadium. India star Sayali Satghare led SOBO Mumbai Falcons from the front with a decisive three-wicket spell as her side began their campaign with a convincing 16-run victory over Thane Sky Risers in the tournament's opening match.
Chasing a challenging 174, opener Mansi Patil (46) kept the chase alive for Thane Sky Risers despite losing partners at regular intervals. Mahek Pokar (23 retired hurt) and Saima Thakor (29) made promising starts but failed to build on them as the Falcons' attack, marshalled brilliantly by Satghare, kept the pressure firmly on the opposition.
In the closing stages, wicketkeeper Khushi Bhatia produced a spirited 28 off just 16 balls, striking the ball cleanly to keep Thane's hopes alive. However, her dismissal in the penultimate over all but extinguished the Sky Risers' chances and tilted the match decisively in the Falcons' favour.
Earlier, Thane Sky Risers failed to capitalise on a dream start from skipper Saima Thakor, who created history by striking off the very first ball of the tournament and then claimed another wicket in the same over. Coupled with nine dropped catches, the lapses allowed SOBO Mumbai Falcons to recover through a late onslaught from Hurley Gala (45 not out), supported by important knocks from Riya Chaudhari (43), Simran Shaikh (30) and Sarika Koli (26), as they posted a competitive 173/6 in 20 overs.
The opening day of the men's tournament, on Monday, witnessed a nail-biting thriller between Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburb and Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals, with the Siddhesh Lad-led Royals having the last laugh after the contest was decided in a Super Over. After both teams finished on an identical 165 at the end of their respective 20 overs, the match went into a Super Over, where the defending champions Royals posted 16/1 before restricting the Sarfaraz Khan-led Tigers to 11/1 to seal a hard-fought victory.
The tournament will feature 30 blockbuster matches as the city's best talent battles for T20 supremacy at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, with the final scheduled to be held on June 13.
Brief Scores: SOBO Mumbai Falcons 173/6 (Hurley Gala 45 not out, Riya Chaudhari 43, Simran Shaikh 30; Soumya Singh 3/17) vs Thane Sky Risers 157/8 (Mansi Patil 46, Saima Thakor 29, Khushi Bhatia 28; Sayali Satghare 3/35).
— ANI
Reader Comments
Nine dropped catches by Thane Sky Risers? That's poor even for a tournament opener. You can't afford such lapses against a team with depth like SOBO. But credit to Hurley Gala and Riya Chaudhari for making them pay. This league has serious potential - 30 matches at Wankhede is no small feat!
Fantastic to see the women's game growing in Mumbai. The fact that they're using Wankhede for the whole tournament shows how serious the MCA is. Saima Thakor hitting the first ball for four was a lovely moment - too bad her team couldn't hold on to catches. Better luck next time!
Khushi Bhatia's 28 off 16 balls was the highlight for me - proper clean hitting under pressure. But Sayali Satghare's spell turned the game. This is exactly the kind of exposure young Indian women cricketers need. Kudos to all the organizers! 👏👏
As someone who follows women's cricket globally, this is a great step for Mumbai. The score of 173/6 shows the batting depth, and dropping nine catches is unacceptable. The league needs to improve fielding standards if they want to compete internationally. Still, exciting tournament ahead!
So happy to see women's T20 cricket getting prominence in Mumbai. The men's Super Over thriller must have set the tone, and now this win by Falcons - perfect start to the league! Sayali Satghare is surely one to watch for India A selection. More power to women's cricket! 💪