Indore, Madhya Pradesh, June 4: The women’s competition of the Aditya Birla Group Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026 got off to an exciting start as Chambal Ghariyals defeated Gwalior Shernis by 8 wickets in a convincing contest at Daly College, Indore, on Thursday.
A brilliant half-century from Kanishka Thakur played a key role in the victory as the Ghariyals chased down the target with more than four overs to spare. Thakur, who was named Player of the Match, said the opening win has given the team plenty of confidence for the matches ahead.
“I’m very happy with the way the first match went. A good performance in the opening game always gives confidence, and I hope to carry that momentum into the upcoming matches as well. My intention during the chase was to finish the game as quickly as possible for the team. Of course, it would have been nice to stay unbeaten, but the main focus was to get the job done,” she said.
We always look to finish low-scoring chases early and maintain a positive approach. This win has created a very good atmosphere in the dressing room. Everyone is energetic, supportive and full of confidence after such a convincing team performance. Hopefully, we can continue this momentum throughout the tournament,” she added.
Chasing 112, Chambal Ghariyals got off to a solid start through Kanishka Thakur and Jincy George. The opening pair added 66 runs for the first wicket before George was dismissed by Khushi Yadav for 15 off 19 balls.
Thakur then joined hands with Rahila Firdous and the duo added another 28 runs for the second wicket to keep the chase firmly under control. Thakur played a match-winning knock of 53 from 44 deliveries before being dismissed, while Firdous remained unbeaten at 19 off 24 balls. Captain Pooja Vastrakar provided the finishing touches with a quick and unbeaten 14 off just 8 deliveries as the Ghariyals comfortably crossed the finish line.
Earlier, Gwalior Shernis captain Nuzhat Parween won the toss and chose to bat first. Openers Aashna Patidar and Parween gave the side a promising start, adding 52 runs for the opening wicket. Parween scored 30 off 31 balls before her dismissal triggered a collapse.
The Shernis struggled to build partnerships in the middle and lower order as wickets fell at regular intervals. As a result, they were restricted to 111/7 in their 20 overs.
Vaishnavi Singh was the standout performer with the ball for Chambal Ghariyals, claiming three wickets for 22 runs in her four overs and playing a major role in restricting the opposition.
Bhopal Wolves vs Bundelkhand Bulls
In the second match of the women’s competition, Bundelkhand Bulls registered a convincing eight-wicket win over Bhopal Wolves at Daly College, Indore.
After opting to bat first, the Wolves endured a difficult start as Muskan Biswas struck early to dismantle the top order, reducing them to 28/3 within the first seven overs.
The Wolves struggled to recover from the early setbacks despite a fighting knock of 25 off 24 balls from Sanskriti Gupta. Regular wickets continued to halt their progress, and they eventually finished on 117/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
Muskan Biswas was the standout performer with the ball, while Yashashwini Bohare also played a key role, picking up 2 wickets for 22 runs in her four overs to keep the Wolves under constant pressure.
In reply, Bundelkhand Bulls got off to a flying start as openers Yashashwini Bohare and captain Anushka Sharma dominated from the outset. The pair added 61 runs in the first six overs, putting the Bulls firmly in control of the chase.
Sanskriti Gupta provided the breakthrough by dismissing Anushka for a brisk 34 off 21 balls, but Yashashwini continued to anchor the innings with a well-made 48 off 43 deliveries before being bowled by Hanshika Kirar.
However, there was no further drama as Suhani Sharma and Ananya Dubey guided the Bulls home comfortably, ensuring their side crossed the finish line.
