Yastika Bhatia scores fifty to lead Trinbago Knight Riders to win over Jamaica Empress in Women’s CPL

Yastika teamed up with skipper Deandra Dottin for a quickfire 68-run stand off 37 balls to seal the win.  | Photo Credit: CPL T20

Yastika Bhatia struck a fluent unbeaten fifty to help Trinbago Knight Riders to a nine-wicket win over Jamaica Empress in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League on Thursday.

The Knight Riders won the toss and opted to chase, successfully restricting the new CPL side to just 100/8 in 20 overs. Karishma Ramharack led the attack, taking three wickets for just 11 runs in her three overs.

Rashada Williams topped the score for Jamaica with a 47-ball 40 as the Knight Riders snuffed out the run flow. The pacers were economical, but Marizanne Kapp was particularly unplayable, conceding just six runs in her four overs while also picking up the prized wicket of Meg Lanning. Her spell featured two maiden overs and 18 dot balls.

Yastika and Laura Harris made the chase look easy with a 35-run partnership in the first five overs before Nonkululeko Mlaba dismissed Harris. Yastika then teamed up with skipper Deandra Dottin for a quickfire 68-run stand off 37 balls to seal the win.

The 25-year-old Indian keeper-batter struck three sixes and six boundaries in her innings, with a strike rate of 167.64.