Nishika, Tanisha star as South Delhi Superstarz begin Women's DPL title defence with 29-run win

New Delhi [India], August 21 (ANI): South Delhi Superstarz began their title defence in style, registering a convincing 29-run win over Central Delhi Queens in the opening match of the Women's Delhi Premier League (DPL) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday.
Batting first, South Delhi Superstarz posted a competitive 156/5 in 20 overs, with Nishika Singh and Tanisha Singh leading the recovery with impressive half-centuries, according to a press release.
The Superstarz lost a couple of early wickets and were under pressure in the opening stages. However, Nishika and Tanisha showed good composure and joined hands to rebuild the innings. The duo added 82 runs for the third wicket, putting South Delhi back in control.
Both batters kept the scoreboard moving and attacked the bowlers whenever the opportunity came. Their partnership provided the foundation for a strong total.
Nishika was eventually dismissed, bringing an end to the important partnership. South Delhi lost a couple of more wickets at regular intervals after that but managed to finish with 156/5 in 20 overs.
For Central Delhi Queens, Sumiti Soni was the most successful bowler, picking up 2/13 in four overs, while Medhavi Bidhuri also claimed two wickets for 24 runs.
Chasing 157, Central Delhi Queens got off to a difficult start and were reduced to 31/3. Monika and Nidhi Mahto then came together to steady the innings and give their team some hope.
The pair added 65 runs for the fourth wicket before Monika was dismissed for a quick 30 off 19 balls.
Mahto continued to fight and brought up a well-deserved half-century. However, she struggled to find enough support at the other end as the required run rate continued to climb.
Mahto was eventually dismissed for an impressive 63 off 55 balls, effectively ending Central Delhi's hopes of completing the chase. The Queens finished on 127/7 in their 20 overs, falling 29 runs short of the target.
Mayuri Singh was the standout bowler for South Delhi, finishing with 2/15 in her four overs as the defending champions began their campaign with a win. (ANI)