Aussie leg-spinner Alana King played a lead role for the Supernovas in the opening game of the Women's T20 Challenge in India picking up two wickets
King claims two on India debut for Supernovas win
Alana King, the only Australian playing in India's Women's T20 Challenge, has taken two wickets to help her Supernovas team win their opening match.
The leg-spinner took 2-30 in her four overs on Monday as Trailblazers, chasing Supernovas' 163 all out, were restricted to 9-114.
The competition is annually billed as the precursor to a Women's IPL, a promise that may finally come to fruition next year.
Image Id: 93E2AF2C9D814617A4E9601F55B43402 Image Caption: Alana King celebrates the wicket of Poonam Yadav // Sportzpics-BCCIIn the meantime the three-team, four-match event fills the void.
King's parents, Leroy and Sharon, hail from Chennai on the southeast coast of India and the 26-year-old told cricket.com.au that playing her first matches in the country of their birth was a dream come true.
"I've got Indian roots and I love having those roots," King told cricket.com.au from Pune on Friday.
"Just everything about India, I love. The culture and the food especially.
"I just love how I'm back here playing in India, with an Indian background. It's pretty special."
Besides King the 12 overseas players include England trio Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross and Sophia Dunkley, West Indies' Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews, plus South Africans, Bangladeshis and Thai batter Natthakan Chantam.
"I actually was surprised (to be the sole Australian)," King said.
"There's a few girls that are battling a couple of niggles at the moment and some of them are quite tired, which is totally understandable.
Image Id: F3DE8F28712641379A967D5CF65BE77A Image Caption: Supernovas teammates Sune Luss (left), Alana King Deandra Dottin and Sophie Ecclestone // Sportzpics-BCCI"They've been going non-stop for the international summer since September last year.
"It's been a big 12 months and it's another big 12 months ahead for the Aussie calendar."
It was Dottin who set Supernovas off to a flying start with 32 off 17 balls. Harleen Deol (35) and Harmanpreet Kaur (37) built on that with Matthews (3-29) the pick of the bowlers.
Smriti Mandhana made 34 as Trailblazers began well but they collapsed for 1-63 to 7-73 as Pooja Vastraker (4-12), Ecclestone (2-19) and King ripped through the middle order.
The 49-run victory put Supernovas one foot into Saturday's final. Victory against Velocity on Tuesday will guarantee it.
The 2022 Indian Premier League will be broadcast live in Australia on Fox Sports and live streamed on Kayo