India Blue down India Red to clinch Women's Challenger Trophy

Off-spinner Preeti Bose bagged a five-wicket haul to help India Blue down India Red by 18 runs in the final of the Women's Challenger Trophy, here today.
Put into bat, India Blue managed to score 180 all out in 49.5 overs before Preeti's 5-43 helped the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side bundle out Red for 162.
The Smriti Mandhani-led Red side started off well in their chase but Preeti chipped in with a couple wickets and Harmanpreet (3-22) also gave an exemplary support with her medium-pace bowling.
Earlier, Harmanpreet contributed with the bat by top-scoring with a well-made 47.
Red opener Smriti replied with a strokeful 52 before being cleaned up by new-ball bowler Ekta Bisht (1-25). Off-spinner Anuja Patil also put in a worthy effort of 1-15 in her spell of 10 overs.

Interestingly, India Blue had been beaten by Red in the league match, while India Green, the third team in the competition, lost all their matches to bow out of the final race.

Brief Scores:
India Blue 180 all out in 49.5 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 47, Sarika Koli 26; Snehal Pradhan 2-27, Rajeshwari Gaekwad 2-28)
India Red 162 all out in 48.1 overs (Smriti Mandhani 52, Poonam Raut 29; Preeti Bose 5-43, Harmanpreet Kaur 3-22).