Reema Malhotra scored 57 and took 2 for 30 to help India A Women register a 31-run win over India Senior Women in a low-scoring Challenger Trophy match in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Malhotra and offspinners Diana David and Nooshin Al Khadeer, who took three wickets each, were the stars as India Seniors lost eight wickets for 75 to collapse to 154 all out.

After being put in, India A reached 56 for 1 in the 15th over, but lost opener P Sindhu Ashok and wicketkeeper Sulakshana Naik in the space of seven runs. However, Malhotra and Hemlata Kala, who made 22, led the recovery, adding 56 for the fourth wicket before Kala was caught behind off Seema Pujare, the offspinner. Pujare also dismissed Malhotra with the score on 152, and with none of the lower-order batsmen contributing much, India A were restricted to 185.

India Seniors began poorly losing Monica Sharma off the first ball and Asha Rawat in the third over. However, Shweta Jadhav, who made 24, and Priyanka Roy, who top scored with 77, batted well to take their team to 79 for 2. The introduction of Malhotra, though, broke the threatening partnership as Jadhav was caught by India A captain Rumeli Dhar. The India Seniors batting line-up then capitulated to the spin attack with only two batsmen reaching double figures.

India Seniors take on India B Women at the same venue on Friday.