Central Zone champ, Bharti scores total180 runs

Veteran leg-spinner Poonam Yadav, who had jolted West Zone with three early wickets, finished with figures of 4/35.

Central’s chase got off to a bright start with Nuzhat Parween (37) and Nikita Singh (31) adding 54 runs for the first wicket. Nuzhat then added another 54 runs in the company of Mona Meshram (37) for the second wicket. However, with Mona, Bharti Fulmali (7) and Dayalan Hemlatha (19) falling in quick succession, Central Zone slipped to 141/5.

Captain Sneh Rana (17) added 33 crucial runs for the sixth wicket with Tanuja Kanwer (37 not out) to bring Central close. Tanuja, who had earlier bowled splendidly (0/35 in 10 overs), kept her head and took her team over the line.

It was a sweet revenge for Central Zone, whose only loss in the league stage had come against West Zone.

Vidarbha batter Bharti Fulmali finished with a tally of 180 runs in the tournament while Poonam had a haul of 16 wickets.

BRIEF SCORES

West Zone 206/7 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 36, Jemimah Rodrigues 37, A. Patil 54 not out; Poonam Yadav 4/35, Mansi Joshi 2/44, Tanuja Kanwer 0/35)

Central Zone 207/7 in 49.2 overs (Nuzhat Parween 37, Mona Meshram 37, Nikita Singh 31, Tanuja Kanwer 37 not out; Radha Yadav 3/27)

Result: Central Zone won by 3 wickets