I didn't think we'd get close to the target at all: Laura Wolvaardt

Supernovas marched to their fourth Women’s T20 Challenge title in four years, this time getting the better of Velocity by just four runs in the final. The game was initially set up by their top three batters Priya Puni (28), Deandra Dottin (62) and Harmanpreet (43), who helped Supernovas post a competitive 165 for 7.

Things did not go according to plan in the chase as Velocity had lost three wickets in the powerplay, with big hitters like Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia and Kiran Navgire back in the hut. The experience of Laura Wolvaardt then came through as she took the match right till the end finishing unbeaten on 65 off 40 and nearly pulled it off in the end with Simran Bahadur (20* off 10) as they duo put on an unbeaten 44-run stand for the ninth wicket.

At 117 for 8 in the 17th over, Wolvaardt admits that she didn’t expect her side to come this close.

“At 10 overs, I didn't think we'd get close to the target at all. We needed like 90 off 40-something at one stage. When Simran came out, I didn't expect her to play like that at all. I've never batted with her before. It was incredible. It was really good to see her play that way. We were trying to get as close as we can,” The South Africa batter said at the post-match press conference.

Speaking of the promotion to Navgire, who starred with a blazing fifty in the previous game, Wolvaardt said that her side was keen on maximising the powerplay, with her taking charge in the middle-overs.

“The plan was for me to come in after the powerplay was over. Those three batters - Kiran, Yastika and Shafali - would try and maximise the powerplay as much as they could and then I would come in the middle phase to rotate it a bit,” Wolvaardt said.

“That was always the plan. Kiran batted incredibly in the game before, it is unfortunate it didn't come off today. Would have loved to see some fireworks from her again today.”

Wolvaardt has been working hard on her leg-side game for some time now and in fact, cleared the fence over long-on on a couple of occasions. She says it is something she has had to develop to keep on top in T20s.

“The leg-side game is something I've been working on a lot. Especially now in T20 cricket, the teams put out the long-off and deep extra-cover as well. It kind of takes away my extra-cover power game. So, I have to think of different options. So, I'm glad I got one or two over long-on,” Wolvaardt said.

Wolvaardt was also full of praise for Supernovas all-rounder Dottin, who after scoring a fifty chipped in with a couple of wickets with the ball too.

“She's an incredible cricketer, an incredible T20 player. So powerful with the bat and bowls really well. She bowled really well today, especially upfront,” Wolvaardt, a veteran of 74 ODIs and 33 T20Is said.

“She had a lot change-ups, variations and was going bouncers, Yorkers. It was hard to predict what she was doing. She had a couple of different fields too, which we don't see that often. It was great to see the way she plays the game and goes about it. When she is in form like she is now, she is very destructive.”