IPL Trailblazers
{{short description|Former women's cricket club in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox cricket team
| name = Trailblazers
| image = IPL Trailblazers logo.jpg
| colours = {{color box|#FFC0CB}} Pink
| coach = Sunetra Paranjpe
| captain = Smriti Mandhana
| established = 2018
| ground =
| title1 = {{nowrap|T20 Challenge}}
| title1wins = 1 (2020)
| h_pattern_la =
| h_pattern_b =
| h_pattern_ra =
| h_pattern_pants =
| h_leftarm = FFC0CB
| h_body = DC143C
| h_rightarm = FFC0CB
| h_pants = FFC0CB
| h_title = T20
}}
Trailblazers was an Indian cricket team. They were founded in 2018 to compete in the Women's T20 Challenge, which they competed in until the tournament ended in 2022. They won the tournament once, beating Supernovas in the final of the 2020 Women's T20 Challenge by 16 runs.
History
=2018=
Trailblazers were formed in 2018 to take part in the inaugural Women's T20 Challenge competition, in which they played a one-off match against Supernovas. The game was viewed as a response to the men's Indian Premier League, and hopes were that the one-off game would lead towards a fully-fledged tournament in the future.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/102152/exhibition-t20-aspires-to-lay-a-little-foundation-stone-for-a-womens-ipl |title=Exhibition T20 aspires to lay a little foundation for a Women's IPL |work=Cricbuzz |access-date=12 January 2021}} Indian batter Smriti Mandhana was named as captain of the side, alongside fellow Indians Deepti Sharma and Jhulan Goswami as well as overseas players Alyssa Healy, Suzie Bates, Beth Mooney, Danielle Hazell and Lea Tahuhu.{{cite web|url=https://www.iplt20.com/news/138906/squads-announced-for-women-s-t20-challenge-match|title=Squads Announced for Women's T20 Challenge Match |work=Indian Premier League |access-date=12 January 2021}}
In the match, which took place on 22 May 2018, the Trailblazers were put into bat and restricted to 129/6, with Suzie Bates top-scoring for 32. The game went to the final over, with Bates needing to defend four runs. Supernovas batter Ellyse Perry hit a single off the final ball to crown her side champions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/692620|title=Suzie Bates, Ellyse Perry call the shots in last-ball cliffhanger|work=International Cricket Council|access-date=12 January 2020}} The Supernovas were therefore crowned the winners of the inaugural Women's T20 Challenge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/women-s-t20-challenge-2018-1146783/supernovas-vs-trailblazers-1146789/full-scorecard|title=Trailblazers v Supernovas, May 22 2018 Scorecard|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2021}}
=2019=
2019 saw the expansion of the tournament to three teams, with the addition of Velocity. Each side played each other once in a group stage, with the top two progressing to a final.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/women-s-t20-challenge-a-step-towards-an-ipl-for-harmanpreet-mandhana-and-co-1183353|title=Women's T20 Challenge a step towards an IPL for Harmanpreet, Mandhana and Co|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2021}} Trailblazers won their first game of the tournament, a rematch against Supernovas, after captain Mandhana struck 90 off 67 balls, and tight bowling from Sophie Ecclestone and Rajeshwari Gayakwad restricted the Supernovas batters.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/women-s-t20-challenge-2019-1181892/supernovas-vs-trailblazers-1st-match-1181893/full-scorecard|title=Trailblazers v Supernovas, May 6 2019 Scorecard|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2021}} In their second match, against Velocity, Trailblazers scored 112/6 batting first, which Velocity chased down with two overs to spare. The group ended with all sides on two points, but the Trailblazers had the worst Net Run Rate and were therefore eliminated.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/women-s-t20-challenge-2019-1181892/trailblazers-vs-velocity-2nd-match-1181894/full-scorecard|title=Trailblazers v Velocity, May 8 2019 Scorecard|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2021}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/table/series/19201/season/2019/womens-t20-challenge|title=Women's T20 Challenge-Points Table|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2020}}
=2020=
The 2020 Women's T20 Challenge was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually getting underway in November.{{cite web|title= Sourav Ganguly: Women's T20 Challenge during IPL 'very much on' |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29581951/sourav-ganguly-women-t20-challenge-ipl-very-much-on |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=3 August 2020 |language=en |date=3 August 2020}} Trailblazers played Velocity in their first game, bowling them out for just 47, with overseas bowler Sophie Ecclestone taking 4 wickets for 9 runs. Trailblazers then chased their target down in 7.5 overs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/women-s-t20-challenge-2020-21-1228311/velocity-vs-trailblazers-2nd-match-1235587/full-scorecard |title=Velocity v Trailblazers, November 5 2020 Scorecard|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2021}} Their second game was much closer, however, as Supernovas set them 146 to chase. Deepti Sharma scored 43*, but Trailblazers fell two runs short.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/women-s-t20-challenge-2020-21-1228311/trailblazers-vs-supernovas-3rd-match-1235588/match-report |title=Atapattu and Yadav stand tall as Supernovas and Trailblazers make the final|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2021}}
Trailblazers still qualified for the final on Net Run Rate, however, and faced Supernovas again. Batting first, Mandhana scored 68 as her side reached 118, and tight bowling from Goswami, Sharma and Salma Khatun in particular meant Supernovas could only score 102, giving the Trailblazers their maiden T20 Challenge title.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/women-s-t20-challenge-2020-21-1228311/trailblazers-vs-supernovas-final-1235589/match-report |title=Smriti Mandhana 68, Salma Khatun three-for lead Trailblazers to 2020 Women's T20 Challenge title|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2021}}
=2022=
In 2022, Trailblazers lost their first game of the tournament, against Supernovas, by 49 runs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/women-s-t20-challenge-2022-1314902/supernovas-vs-trailblazers-1st-match-1314903/match-report |title=Vastrakar's four-for gives Supernovas a winning start |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=29 May 2022}} In their second match, against Velocity, Trailblazers scored 190/5 batting first, with Sabbhineni Meghana and Jemimah Rodrigues scoring half-centuries. Velocity were restricted to 174/9 in reply, but the group ended with all sides on two points, with the Trailblazers on the worst Net Run Rate, therefore being eliminated from the tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/women-s-t20-challenge-2022-1314902/trailblazers-vs-velocity-3rd-match-1314905/match-report |title=Meghana, Rodrigues power Trailblazers to win, but Velocity in final with better NRR |work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=29 May 2022}}
The 2022 season proved to be the final edition of the Women's T20 Challenge, with the tournament being replaced by the Women's Premier League from the 2023 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/121647/bcci-proposes-six-team-womens-ipl-from-next-year |title=BCCI proposes six-team women's IPL from next year|work=Cricbuzz |access-date=13 March 2023}}
Players
{{Main article|List of IPL Trailblazers cricketers}}
- No. denotes the player's squad number, as worn on the back of their shirt.
- {{double-dagger}} denotes players with international caps.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; width:80%;" | ||||||
| style="background:#FFC0CB; color:black" | No.
!style="background:#FFC0CB; color:black" | Name !style="background:#FFC0CB; color:black" | Nationality !style="background:#FFC0CB; color:black" | Birth date !style="background:#FFC0CB; color:black" | Batting style !style="background:#FFC0CB; color:black" | Bowling style !style="background:#FFC0CB; color:black" | Notes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="7" | Batters | ||||||
| style="text-align:center"|18 | Smriti Mandhana {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1996|7|18|df=y}} | Left-handed | Right-arm medium | Club captain |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Sharmin Akhter {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|Bangladesh}} | {{Birth date and age|1996|12|31|df=y}} | Right-handed | – | Overseas player |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Sabbhineni Meghana {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1996|6|7|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Jemimah Rodrigues {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|2000|9|5|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | |
| colspan="7" | All-rounders | ||||||
| style="text-align:center"|3 | Salma Khatun {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|Bangladesh}} | {{Birth date and age|1990|10|1|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | Overseas player |
| style="text-align:center"|47 | Sophia Dunkley {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|England}} | {{Birth date and age|1998|7|16|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | Overseas player |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Hayley Matthews {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|West Indies}} | {{Birth date and age|1998|3|19|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | Overseas player |
| colspan="7" | Wicket-keepers | ||||||
| style="text-align:center"|13 | Richa Ghosh {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|2003|11|28|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| colspan="7" | Bowlers | ||||||
| style="text-align:center"|1 | Rajeshwari Gayakwad {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1991|6|1|df=y}} | Right-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Saiqa Ishaque | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1995|10|8|df=y}} | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Sujata Mallik | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1993|6|4|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Shradda Pokharkar | {{crw|India}} | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Priyanka Priyadarshini | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1992|5|3|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | |
| style="text-align:center"|20 | Arundhati Reddy {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1997|4|10|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Renuka Singh {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1996|1|2|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | |
| style="text-align:center"|– | Poonam Yadav {{double-dagger}} | {{crw|India}} | {{Birth date and age|1991|8|24|df=y}} | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break |
=Overseas players=
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
- {{criconw|NZL}} Suzie Bates (2018–2019)
- {{criconw|ENG}} Danielle Hazell (2018)
- {{criconw|AUS}} Alyssa Healy (2018)
- {{criconw|AUS}} Beth Mooney (2018)
- {{criconw|NZL}} Lea Tahuhu (2018)
- {{criconw|ENG}} Sophie Ecclestone (2019–2020)
- {{criconw|WIN}} Shakera Selman (2019)
- {{criconw|WIN}} Stafanie Taylor (2019)
- {{criconw|THA}} Natthakan Chantam (2020)
- {{criconw|WIN}} Deandra Dottin (2020)
- {{criconw|BAN}} Salma Khatun (2020–2022)
- {{criconw|BAN}} Sharmin Akhter (2022)
- {{criconw|ENG}} Sophia Dunkley (2022)
- {{criconw|WIN}} Hayley Matthews (2022)
}}
Seasons
=Women's T20 Challenge=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" | Season
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Final standing ! scope="col" colspan="8" | League standings ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Notes |
|---|
| scope="col" | P
! scope="col" | W ! scope="col" | L ! scope="col" | T ! scope="col" | NR ! scope="col" | Pts ! scope="col" | NRR ! scope="col" | Pos |
| scope="row" | 2018
| style="background:#dddddd"| {{sort|2|Runners-up}} |colspan=8 align=center| No Group stage || Lost to IPL Supernovas in the final |
| scope="row" | 2019
| {{sort|3|Group stage}} | 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 2 || −0.305 || 3rd || |
| scope="row" | 2020
| style="background:#ffee44;" | {{sort|1|Champions}} | 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 2 || +2.109 || 1st | Won against IPL Supernovas in the final |
| scope="row" | 2022
| | {{sort|3|Group stage}} | 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 2 || −0.825 || 3rd || |
Statistics
=Women's T20 Challenge=
| class="wikitable" style="width:25%;"
|+ Women's T20 Challenge - summary of results{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/1228311.html?view=records|title=Women's T20 Challenge Records|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=12 January 2021}} |
| style="background:#ffc;"|Year
! style="background:#ffc;"|Played ! style="background:#ffc;"|Wins ! style="background:#ffc;"|Losses ! style="background:#ffc;"|Tied ! style="background:#ffc;"|NR ! style="background:#ffc;"|Win % |
|---|
| 2018
| 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0.00 |
| 2019
| 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 50.00 |
| 2020
| 3 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 66.66 |
| 2022
| 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 50.00 |
| Total
|8||4||4||0||0 ||50.00 |
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||
| style="background:#ffc;"|Opposition
! style="background:#ffc;"|Mat ! style="background:#ffc;"|Won ! style="background:#ffc;"|Lost ! style="background:#ffc;"|Tied ! style="background:#ffc;"|NR ! style="background:#ffc;"|Win % | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL Supernovas | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| IPL Velocity | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 |