Upasana Yadav’s historic ton helps North Delhi Strikers Women clinch inaugural Adani Women’s Delhi Premier League T20 title

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: Upasana Yadav was the star of the show on Sunday as North Delhi Strikers Women were crowned Adani Women’s Delhi Premier League Champions after their 10-run win over South Delhi Superstarz Women in the final at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Yadav also etched her name in the history books by scoring the first-ever century of the Adani Women’s Delhi Premier League T20. Her unbeaten 114 off 67 balls, featuring 18 fours and three sixes, powered the team to a massive total of 179/3 in 20 overs.

In reply, Tanisha Singh led South Delhi’s run-chase, having scored 72 off 40 balls, but her team fell 10 runs short of the target.

They began their run chase of 180 runs aggressively but lost their openers, Chhavi Gupta (20 off 20) and Shweta Sehrawat (13 off 11), by the end of the powerplay, with 46 runs on the board.

Riya Soni and Tanisha Singh then added 38 runs off 29 balls, but Soni was dismissed in the 11th over, leaving South Delhi Superstarz at 84/3.

Tanisha Singh then steadied the innings, combining with Nidhi Mahto to help the team cross the 100-run mark in 12.1 overs. Singh completed her fifty in 27 balls, bringing the equation down to 59 runs required from 36 balls.

Their 60-run partnership off 37 came to an end when Bharti Rawal removed Mahto (15 off 16) in the 17th over. Soni Yadav struck twice in the following over, removing Singh (72 off 40) and R Priyadarshini (1 off 2), with South Delhi Superstarz at 151/6 after 18 overs.

Ekta Bhadana and Manju Godara then smashed 15 runs in the penultimate over to reduce the equation 14 required off the last six balls.

Nazma Sultana bowled a disciplined last over as she dismissed both Bhadana (13 off 8) and Godara (6 off 4) to restrict South Delhi Superstarz Women to 169/8 and eventually clinch the title.

Earlier in the contest, North Delhi Strikers Women lost Mansi Sharma (0 off 5) early. Then, the in-form Upasana Yadav took center stage, anchoring the innings with a remarkable ton. She combined with Monika to take the team’s total past the 50-run mark by the end of the Powerplay.

Monika (19 off 15) was dismissed in the seventh over, but Yadav found the boundaries with ease and completed her fifty in 36 balls in the 11th over.

In no time, she completed her century in 62 balls. With support from Ayushi Soni, who played a steady 31 off 34, Yadav guided North Delhi Strikers Women to a total of 179/3 in their allotted 20 overs.

Meanwhile, for South Delhi Superstarz Women, Aarti Kumari returned figures of 2/34.

Brief Scores:

North Delhi Strikers Women beat South Delhi Superstarz Women by 10 runs

North Delhi Strikers Women 179/3 in 20 overs (Upasana Yadav 114* off 67, Ayushi Soni 31 off 34, Aarti Kumari 2/34)

South Delhi Superstarz Women 169/8 in 20 overs (Tanisha Singh 72 off 40, Riya Soni 23 off 18, Soni Yadav 2/26).