Deepti Sharma takes Bengal to semifinal | Cricket News

KOLKATA: India player Deepti Sharma’s all-round show helped Bengal beat Madhya Pradesh by 28 runs in the fourth quarterfinal of the women’s senior one-day meet in Rajkot on Tuesday. Bengal will play Railways in the second semifinal at the same venue on Thursday.
Bengal did not begin well after opting to bat first on winning the toss. They lost opener Mita Paul, Aparna Mondal and skipper Rumeli Dhar in quick succession to be struggling at 48 for 3 by 18 overs. However, Parna Paul gave Sharma some company to take the score to 95. Sharma brought up her fifty from 84 balls. Even after losing Paul, Sharma was involved in two more partnerships of 45 and 33 runs with Mamta Kisku and Richa Ghosh respectively to take the score to 173 for 6 in 41.4 overs. But once Ghosh departed for a 19-ball 22, Bengal suffered another collapse to be bowled out for 205 in 48.5 overs.
The left-handed Sharma failed to reach the three-figure mark as she fell to Poonam Soni for 94 that came off 142 deliveries with the help of 12 boundaries.
For Madhya Pradesh, Varsha, Soni and skipper Pooja Vastrakar picked two wickets each.
Sharma came good with the ball too claiming three for 40 in her nine overs after Madhya Pradesh top order could never get going. They stumbled from 134 to 2 to 177 all out in 47.5 overs.
Bengal’s Gouher Sultana returned with three for 22. Rukmoni Roy picked up two wickets.
Brief scores: Bengal 205 in 48.5 overs (Deepti Sharma 94; Varsha 2/33). Madhya Pradesh 177 in 47.5 overs (Pooja Vastrakar 48; Gouher Sultana 3-22, Deepti Sharma 3-40). Bengal won by 28 runs.