South African Sune Luus conjured up an unbeaten 37 under pressure as Velocity overcame a jittery start to stun defending champions Supernovas by five wickets in the opening match of the Women’s T20 Challenge in Sharjah on Wednesday.
Chasing a modest 127, Velocity were 38 for three inside nine overs but Luus took them over the line with her calm-headed 37-run knock that came off 21 balls with four fours and a six.
The Velocity bowlers, led by left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht (3/22) had restricted Supernovas to 126/8 after electing to bowl.
South African medium pacer Ayabonga Khaka (2/27) gave Supernovas the perfect start dismissing both the openers, Danielle Wyatt (0) and supremely-talented Shafali Verma (17).
The seasoned Sushma turned it around for Velocity in the 16th over hammering Poonam Yadav for two sixes with some clean-hitting display to bring the run rate down.
She however failed to take them over the line falling to Poonam in the penultimate over.
Needing nine runs from the last over, Luus sealed the chase in the penultimate ball with two boundaries.
Sri Lankan T20 skipper Atapattu and her Indian counterpart Harmanpreet had seized control in the back end but their 47-run partnership was broken by Jahanara with Krishnamurthy taking calm-headed skier at long on.
Jahanara later dismissed Harmanpreet for 31 after the Indian skipper holed out at short fine leg. It triggered a collapse as the defending champions lost four wickets for 15 runs.
Chamari slammed two sixes and two boundaries in a 39-ball 44, while Harmanpreet hit two sixes and one boundary.
hamari hit Manali inside out over cover and in the next over pulled Kasperek over deep midwicket for her second six to lift the run-rate.
But she fell six runs short of a half-century as Supernovas failed to shift gear afterwards.