The opening cricket match of the D K Gaekwad Trophy between an all girls' and all boys' team ended in a draw, but the girls walked away with three points. The match organised by the Baroda Cricket Association was the first official tournament in the country where girls played boys.
After the girls were all out for 134 in the first innings on Sunday, the boys from the Kiran More Sports Foundation managed to put up only 128, putting the girls to but again.
The girls batted through the day on Monday and scored 38 for the loss of three wickets. As per the tournament rules, the girls' team won three points as they claimed the first innings lead in the match.
"They played fantastic, but we were also a bit casual in our approach to the game. We could not restrict them from piling up 134 runs in the first innings," said KMSF captain Rishav Shahi.
Aditi Shah of Mehsana from the girls' team, said: "There is no doubt that they are physically stronger. But what emerged as the key factor was our determination and willpower to move ahead in the tournament. It is important to prove ourselves since the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) has provided us this platform."
Another player, Puja Thakor, said: "All we knew was that out of six deliveries bowled to us, some would be loose. We had to hit those well. We did that and claimed three points."
Ajay Pawar, the coach of the boys' team, said: "What happens on the field is what matters. The rule of the game is simple: if you take your opponents lightly, they will defeat you irrespective of who your opponent is. Besides, I realised that more than the physical comparison, it was the maturity displayed by the girls on the field. In comparison, the boys are too young."
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