New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS) Central Delhi Queens batter Monika has called on her team to carry forward the momentum from their thrilling maiden victory in the ongoing 2026 Women’s Delhi Premier League (DPL) and strive to seal playoff qualification by winning their remaining fixtures.
Central Delhi Queens registered their first win of the tournament on Thursday evening after edging North Delhi Strikers by three runs in a nail-biting encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, breaking a run of three consecutive defeats.
“It feels really good to get our first win after three defeats. We just need to maintain this momentum and try to win our last two matches as well,” said Monika, who top-scored with a 42-ball 47.
Elaborating on her approach during the must-win match for her team, Monika explained how she managed her innings as wickets fell at regular intervals. “There was no specific plan. We just wanted to score as many runs as possible. The wickets were falling regularly, and there was pressure, so the main focus was to stay positive and contribute to the team.”
Monika, who had earlier smashed four consecutive centuries in the local DDCA league, noted that playing frequent games provides valuable learning experiences. “Playing back-to-back matches gives you a lot of positives. We learn a lot from every game, including the matches we lose. Those experiences help us understand our mistakes and improve as a team. We will try our best to win both matches and hopefully qualify for the playoffs.”
Batting first, Central Delhi Queens posted 125/7 in 20 overs. Openers Deeksha Sharma and Nidhi Mahto put on 27 runs before being dismissed quickly. Monika then built a crucial 44-run partnership with Arushi Goel (22) to anchor the innings. For North Delhi Strikers, spinner Apeksha Anand starred with figures of 4-17.
In reply, North Delhi were restricted to 65/2 in 13 overs before Ayush Soni revived the chase with a fighting 51. With six runs required off the final three balls, off-spinner Deeksha Sharma held her nerve in the tense final over to defend the target and secure a nerve-wracking win.
–IANS
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