PIX: Crowds stay away but women's IPL one-off match is a hit

IMAGE: The Supernovas players celebrates the wicket of Deepti Sharma of Trailblazers. Photograph:BCCI

The much-hyped women's exhibition IPL T20 match between Supernovas vs Trailblazers witnessed an exciting finish but failed to attract sizeable crowd at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium on a sultry Tuesday afternoon despite the presence of the world's top women cricketers.

Scorecard

For the record, Supernovas chased down a target of 130 in a last-ball finish.

Needing 10 runs in last two overs, Ellyse Perry (13 not out) struck a boundary off Ekta Bisht but Mona Meshram (4) was run out by Smriti Mandhana off the last bowl of the penultimate over.

IMAGE: Suzie Bates of Trailblazers runs between the wickets. Photograph:BCCI

Needing four off the last over, New Zealand international Suzie Bates conceded just a single in the first three deliveries bringing the equation down to run-a-ball.

A composed Pooja Vastrakar finished off the match with a single to midwicket.

While a women's IPL is a novel idea, the response at ground zero is a testimony that BCCI still has some way to go before the idea takes a final shape.

IMAGE: Supernovas captain Mithali Raj hits out. Photograph:BCCI

The lukewarm response was largely due to timing of the match with a packed Wankhede expected for the Qualifier 1 match between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, starting at 7pm.

Also, the BCCI diluted the concept, allowing all players from either side to take part in the match.

India's ODI captain Mithali Raj decided against fielding, something that didn't go unnoticed considering the likes of Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Sophie Devine showed utmost professionalism in adverse weather conditions.

IMAGE: Supernovas batsman Danielle Wyatt hits a boundary. Photograph:BCCI

The catch that Perry took to dismiss Jemimah Rodrigues during the Trailblazers innings was out of top drawer. Ditto for Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy's top-notch fielding efforts.

Chasing 130, veteran Mithali (22) and Dani Wyatt conjured a 47-run-stand for the opening wicket. Mithali stuck a six, the first of the match and followed it with a boundary in the fifth over before spinner Ekta Bisht broke the stand removing Mithali, who was caught by Lea Tahuhu.

Just when it looked that Wyatt was taking the game away from Trailblazers, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav cut short her stay at the crease.

IMAGE: The Trailblazers players click a selfie after the game. Photograph:BCCI

Australian skipper Meg Lanning (16) looked in good touch before she holed out to Jemimah Rodrigues off Yadav as the Supernovas slumped to 71 for three after a strong start.

Harmanpreet Kaur (21) and Sophie Divine (19) stitched a crucial 36-run-stand that took the game away from the Trailblazers.

Earlier, Bates (32 off 37 balls) and Rodrigues (25 off 23 balls) added 45 runs for the fifth wicket to ensure a decent total for the Trailblazers.