Jesus & Mary College clinches inaugural WCL inter-college tourney

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Jesus & Mary College (JMC) emerged victorious in the inaugural Women's Cricket League (WCL) #T20 inter-college talent hunt tournament, beating Gargi College by 37 runs at the Roshanara Club here on Friday.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, JMC scored 88 runs and lost nine wickets in their 20 overs before bundling Gargi College out for a meagre 51 runs.

Gargi College pacer Shweta Sharma emerged the highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps in the tournament while JMC's Aarushi Goyal turned out to be the highest scorer with a total of 99 runs in the tournament.

Former India skipper Bishan Singh Bedi along with Dronacharya awardee Sunita Sharma and other eminent sports personalities graced the award ceremony.

Hailing the initiative to encourage women to take the sport as a career option, Bedi said: "Women's Cricket League is a very good beginning. They should keep supporting this earnest endeavour to promote women's cricket in India. My heartiest wishes and blessings to all women cricketers to do well nationally and internationally."

Sunita, the first Indian woman cricket coach, who has been instrumental in forming the WCL, said: "The students are lucky to have the WCL #T20 Inter-College Talent Hunt Tournament. More such cricket tournaments in school and college level, state and city level should take place."

"There should be more job opportunities to encourage young girls to start taking sports (cricket) as their career options. Good sponsors should come forward to support women cricket in India," she added.

Inspired at the success of the inaugural tournament, WCL founder Parul Jain said: "WCL will scout hidden talent from schools and colleges in small towns and cities in India by organising similar WCL #T20 Talent Hunt Tournaments in international clubs and even non-cricket playing countries."

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