By Victoria Hamilton 
Austria Edge Turkey in Tight Contest
Austria Women held their nerve in a tense finish to defeat Turkey Women by 9 runs in the Women’s Continental Cup 2025 clash at Ilfov County. It was a match of fluctuating fortunes where Priya Sabu’s leadership and all-round brilliance guided Austria to their first win of the tournament.
Electing to bat, Austria overcame early struggles to post a competitive 144/6 in their 20 overs. The innings was anchored by Andrea-Mae Zepeda, who remained unbeaten on 52 off 57 balls, striking five boundaries. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Austria benefited from a flurry of extras — 51 runs coming from Turkey’s bowlers, including 38 wides and 7 no-balls, which ultimately proved decisive.
Captain Priya Sabu (16 off 16) and Harjivan Bhullar (16 off 33) contributed in stabilizing the innings, while Turkey’s Hacer Celik (4/28) bowled with fire and accuracy, claiming key wickets to restrict Austria from surpassing 150.
In response, Turkey’s chase began shakily, but Hacer Celik (38 retired hurt) and Kubra Canavarci (28 off 19) mounted a fightback. However, Austria’s disciplined bowling, led by Sabu (2/31) and Mallika Pathirannehelage (1/18), ensured Turkey fell short, finishing at 135/7.
Priya Sabu’s crucial wickets and sharp captaincy earned her the Player of the Match award as Austria celebrated a well-earned victory.
Brief Scores:
Austria Women 144/6 (Zepeda 52*, Sabu 16; Celik 4/28)
Turkey Women 135/7 (Celik 38 ret hurt, Canavarci 28; Sabu 2/31, Pathirannehelage 1/18)
Austria Women won by 9 runs.
Celik Stars as Turkey Crush Romania
In the next encounter, Turkey Women bounced back strongly to defeat Romania Women by 6 wickets, driven by a match-winning spell from Hacer Celik, who claimed 3/18 and earned the Player of the Match award.
Romania struggled right from the start, folding for 71 in 13.4 overs. Only Rebecca Blake (23 off 17) showed resistance against a fiery Turkish bowling attack. Ezgi Nur Kilic (3/16) and Sila Yildirim (2/2) joined forces with Celik to dismantle Romania’s lineup.
In reply, Turkey chased down the modest target in just 9.5 overs, reaching 73/4. Melike Bayram (24 off 16) top-scored, ensuring Turkey sealed a comfortable victory and redeemed themselves after the earlier heartbreak against Austria.
Brief Scores:
Romania Women 71 all out (Blake 23; Celik 3/18, Kilic 3/16)
Turkey Women 73/4 (Bayram 24*; Muntean 2/23)
Turkey Women won by 6 wickets.
Blake’s Brilliant 120* Lifts Romania Past Bulgaria
The day concluded with Rebecca Blake producing one of the finest innings in Women’s T20I history, blasting an unbeaten 120 off 80 balls to guide Romania Women to a record-breaking 115-run victory over Bulgaria Women.
Batting first, Romania piled up 198/1, their highest total in T20I cricket. Blake dominated from the start, smashing 16 fours with impeccable timing and control. Supported by Maya Kearvell (27) in a 89-run stand, Blake single-handedly took the game away from Bulgaria’s bowlers, who struggled for discipline — conceding 36 wides and 14 no-balls in total.
In reply, Bulgaria never looked in contention, collapsing for 83 in 15 overs. Daria Tanase (4/9) and Alina Lupascu (3/15) starred with the ball as Romania’s attack combined precision with aggression.
This victory marked Romania’s first win of the tournament and reasserted Blake’s dominance as one of the most consistent batters in associate women’s cricket.
Brief Scores:
Romania Women 198/1 (Blake 120*, Kearvell 27; Srandeva 1/27)
Bulgaria Women 83 all out (Sarandeva 9; Tanase 4/9, Lupascu 3/15)
Romania Women won by 115 runs.
Continental Cup Wide Open
At the end of the second day’s play, the Women’s Continental Cup 2025 table looks wide open. Austria and Turkey sit neck-and-neck, while Romania’s emphatic win boosts their run rate and confidence heading into the next fixtures.
The day showcased Europe’s emerging cricket talent, with stars like Rebecca Blake, Priya Sabu, and Hacer Celik proving that associate cricket continues to grow stronger and more competitive.
Himadullah Sohoo