Tanusree stars in Bengal’s record chase

Tanusree Sarkar’s excellent all-round show (three for 56 and 113) helped Bengal chase down a record target of 390 and beat Haryana by five wickets for a place in the Senior Women’s one-day trophy semifinals at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, Ground-C, here on Monday.

Haryana, sent in to bat, benefitted from its skipper Shafali Verma’s breathtaking 197 (115b, 22×4, 11×6), containing some superb drives and flicks, to aggregate a massive 389 for five in 50 overs.

Bengal achieved the target, the highest successful chase in women’s List-A cricket, with five balls to spare. The previous record was 309, by Northern Districts against Canterbury in 2019.

Tanusree, a right-arm medium pacer, broke Haryana’s 173-run opening stand, between Shafali and Reema Sisodia, before claiming two more. 

Shafali fell to Mita Paul.

In reply, openers Dhara Gujjar and Sasthi Mondal added 100 runs to give Bengal a fine start.

At No.3, Tanusree relished the batting-friendly conditions and played strokes all over the park in her magnificent hundred (113, 83b, 20×4). She put on 60 with Dhara and 111 with Priyanka Bala (88 not out, 81b, 8×4, 1×6).

After Tanusree, the player-of-the-match, was bowled by Triveni Vasistha in the 36^th over, Priyanka helped Bengal cross the line.

Bengal will meet the winner of the match between Railways and Maharashtra in the semifinals on Friday.

The scores: Haryana 389/5 in 50 overs (Shafali Verma 197, Sonia Mendhiya 61, Reema Sisodia 58, Triveni Vasistha 46, Tanusree Sarkar 3/56) lost to Bengal 390/5 in 49.1 overs (Tanusree Sarkar 113, Priyanka Bala 88 n.o., Dhara Gujjar 69, Sasthi Mondal 52).