Krishnamurthy stands by Velocity's choice to focus on NRR rather than chasing the win

The final group stage match of the Women’s T20 Challenge in Jaipur has triggered a debate over whether Mithali Raj’s Velocity prioritized a mathematical path to the final over the spirit of the game, opting for a strategic NRR approach instead of pursuing a win with an entertaining style of play.

The goal of this official T20 event was to build momentum for a full-scale women's IPL by drawing in crowds with high-quality action. Yet, on Thursday, Velocity failed to deliver this excitement to the 7,000 fans in attendance, especially after the dismissal of their number three batter, Danielle Wyatt.

While trying to chase down 143 against the Supernovas, Velocity found themselves in a tricky spot after Wyatt got out. With two final spots still open, they needed 66 runs from 51 balls for a win, but only 40 runs to overtake the Trailblazers via net run rate. For the Supernovas, a victory margin of at least 24 runs was the key to their advancement.

Because all three teams were potentially finishing with two points each, Velocity knew that maintaining a superior NRR would secure their place in the final, even if they ultimately lost the game to the Supernovas, who would then take the top spot.

“During our last match, we struggled because we lost too many wickets by trying to wrap up the chase too quickly,”