Ekta Bisht picks 7/8 in Senior Women's T20 Trophy
What's the story
Veteran Indian spinner Ekta Bisht recorded astonishing figures of 7/8 against Jharkhand in the ongoing Senior Women's T20 Trophy. She also took a hat-trick in the game with the last three balls of her spell. Bisht, who is leading Uttarakhand in the tournament, bowled with venom as none of the opposition team batters could tackle her. As a result, Uttarakhand recorded a 10-run win.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The contest took place at the Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana in Mumbai on Thursday. The track had a lot of assistance for bowlers both teams lost wickets at regular intervals. Chasing 108, Jharkhand looked favorites to cross the line. However, Bisht had other ideas as she ran through the opposition team's batting order. As a result, Jharkhand got bundled out for 97 in 19.3 overs.
Performance
Dissecting Ekta Bisht's stunning spell
Bisht first dismissed Ruma for 15 before sending back A A Patil and Monika in one over. The 36-year-old took four wickets in her final over which included a hat-trick. Bisht got the better of her counterpart Niharika in her second ball of the last over. She then dismissed Shubh, Devyani, and Prajakta S in successive deliveries to get the feat.
Stats
How has Ekta Bisht fared in international cricket?
Bisht made her international debut way back in 2011. The veteran spinner has so far played 63 ODIs, 42 T20Is, and a solitary Test for the national team, scalping 98, 53, and three wickets, respectively. The tally also includes a couple of five-wicket hauls. Her best figures in international cricket (5/8) were recorded in an ODI against Pakistan in 2017.
Status
Ekta Bisht has been out of the national team
Bisht has played just one international match this year, back in February. She was a notable absentee in India's squad for the Women's World Cup 2023. The national selectors didn't consider her for the Commonwealth Games either. Hence, Bisht would be raring to make a comeback. Meanwhile, India's next assignment is a five-match home Women's T20I home series against Australia in December this year.