Women's T20 Challenge: Trailblazers beat Velocity by 16 runs but crash out on net run rate

Women's T20 Challenge but still qualified for the final on the basis of a better net run rate, knocking out victors Trailblazers from the tournament here on Thursday. Velocity will face Supernovas in the summit clash on Saturday. Invited to bat, Sabbhineni Meghana and Jemimah Ridrigues smashed scintillating fifties to help the defending champions post a huge 190 for five, the highest total in the history of the tournament. But they needed to restrict Velocity to 159 to become the second team to qualify for the final but it was not to be as Kiran Navgire had other ideas.

The 27-year-old all-rounder from Maharashtra lit up the night sky with five fours and as many sixes on way to her 34-ball 69 to take Velocity across the 150-mark and on the doorstep of the final.

The Trailblazers bowlers, led by Poonam Yadav (2/33) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2/44), eventually managed to restrict Velocity to 174 for nine to also open their account but they would rue their heavy 49-run defeat to Supernovas in the opening match. Trailblazers (-0.825), Supernovas (+0.912) and Velocity (-0.022) ended with two points each but the top two teams made it to the final as they had better net run rate than the defending champions. Velocity crossed the 159-run mark in the 19th over to make it through to the final. Set a stiff target of 191 to win, Navgire, playing her first season in the big league, showed steely temperament as she anchored the chase beautifully, adding 55 off 31 balls with Laura Wolvaardt (17) and then held on to the other end. Navgire and Wolvaardt's partnership helped Velocity pile up the fastest team hundred of the tournament. Velocity kept losing wickets under scoreboard pressure but Navgire steered them to safety before being