India 145 for 7 (Yastika 36, Shafali 31, Rabeya 3-23) beat Bangladesh 101 for 8 (Sultana 51, Renuka 3-18, Vastrakar 2-25) by 44 runs
They’d a shaky begin to the chase, shedding their prime three of Dilhara Akther, Murshida Khatun and Sobhana Mostary contained in the powerplay, with Renuka accounting for 2 wickets in her three overs and Deepti Sharma one. Pooja Vastrakar eliminated Fahima Khatun instantly after the powerplay to depart Bangladesh reeling at 30 for 4. Sultana’s 5 fours and a six in her 48-ball keep dragged the hosts previous 100 however she discovered little assist on the different hand as wickets fell round her.
Renuka got here again within the sixteenth over to take away Rabeya Khan so as to add yet another to her tally whereas Vastrakar picked up two and Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav and Deepti took a wicket every.
Yastika shines earlier than India’s collapse
After reaching 100 in 12.2 overs, India couldn’t contact the 150-mark with a number of batters failing to transform begins and speed up on the demise overs because the crew misplaced 5 wickets for 39 runs.
Smriti Mandhana fell early when she discovered a thick inside edge onto the legstump, within the third over, making an attempt to be aggressive. Shafali began nicely, scoring three fours and a six in her 22-ball 31 earlier than falling to Rabeya within the ninth over when she tried to play throughout the road and located the highest edge.
Yastika and Harmanpreet then stabilised the innings within the center overs, offering the inspiration for a giant end. Yastika, slotted in at No.3 instead of the injured Jemimah Rodrigues, performed just a few neat cowl drives alongside the bottom, shuffled throughout and swept previous the quick tremendous leg fielder to search out boundaries and appeared set to take off. In her 28-ball innings, she hit six fours and stitched two essential partnerships – firstly, 43 off 31 with Shafali for the second wicket after which 45 off 33 with Harmanpreet.
Nonetheless, Bangladesh fought again with the wickets of Harmanpreet and Yastika in consecutive overs to derail India. Harmanpreet was trapped lbw for 30 off legspinner Fahima Khatun within the 14th over and Yastika discovered the purpose fielder after she mistimed a heave off Rabeya.
Debutant S Sajana was promoted to No.6 and with Ghosh on the different finish, India anticipated some fireworks. Nonetheless, that did not occur. Sajana’s keep was short-lived as she was dismissed for a run-a-ball 11 and Ghosh, after notching up two fours and a six, fell to Marufa Akther’s tempo within the remaining over. Marufa transformed it right into a double-wicket over, eradicating Vastrakar off the final ball and conceding simply two runs from the over.
Bangladesh placed on a combined fielding show, dropping three catches off Shafali, Mandhana and Sajana but additionally confirmed wonderful effort to avoid wasting just a few boundaries close to the rope.
Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
