Introduction
In a thrilling semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2024, India beat Bangladesh by 10 wickets earning a place in the final. The match in Dambulla showed how good the Indian women’s cricket team is, with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana leading the way. This article looks at the main points of the match, standout performances, and what’s next for the winning Indian team.
Match Overview
India’s path to the final shows steady play and smart planning. Their game against Bangladesh in the semi-final proved this, as they controlled both bowling and batting.
India Bowls with Power
Bangladesh chose to bat first after winning the coin toss, but faced tough focused Indian bowlers. Radha Yadav and Renuka Singh led the Indian attack limiting Bangladesh to just 80 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs.
Top Bowling Stats:
- Radha Yadav: 3/15
- Renuka Singh: 3/16
Radha Yadav’s three-wicket haul played a key role in breaking down the Bangladesh batting order. Her spin and bounce from the pitch caused problems for the batters resulting in important wickets. Renuka Singh backed up Yadav’s work with her accurate bowling, which made scoring tough for the Bangladesh batters.
Bangladesh’s batters found it hard to form partnerships. Nigar Sultana topped their scorecard with just 22 runs. India’s focused bowling kept Bangladesh from gaining any momentum paving the way for an easy chase.
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana’s Unbeatable Partnership
Pursuing a goal of 81, openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana stepped up to bat with a clear plan and focus. Their teamwork proved amazing, as they broke down Bangladesh’s bowling strategy.
Key Batting Performances:
- Smriti Mandhana: 55* (45 balls)
- Shafali Verma: 26* (21 balls)
Smriti Mandhana showed her talent and know-how scoring 55 runs without getting out from 45 balls. She hit seven fours and one six proving she ruled the batting crease. Shafali Verma backed her up well making 26 runs from 21 balls without losing her wicket. Verma’s bold style worked well with Mandhana’s smooth batting, and they teamed up to help India reach the goal in just 11 overs without losing any wickets.
India Women’s Playing XI
- Shafali Verma
- Smriti Mandhana
- Uma Chetry
- Harmanpreet Kaur (c)
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Richa Ghosh (w)
- Deepti Sharma
- Pooja Vastrakar
- Radha Yadav
- Tanuja Kanwar
- Renuka Thakur Singh
Key Parts of the Game
- Radha Yadav’s Triple Strike: Radha Yadav’s three wickets had a big impact on Bangladesh’s batting. She crushed their hopes and set India up for a big win.
- Renuka Singh’s Tight Bowling: Renuka Singh bowled with precision. She didn’t let Bangladesh’s batters get comfortable. This put them under pressure and led to key wickets.
- Mandhana’s Masterclass: Smriti Mandhana batted to start India’s chase. She showed her talent and cool head making the run chase easy for her team.
- Smooth Chase: Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana’s unbeaten partnership made sure India reached the target without trouble showing their great teamwork and understanding.
Road to the Final
India secured their spot in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2024 final with this decisive win. Their path to the final showed steady play smart planning, and a mix of seasoned pros and new faces. The squad’s teamwork and standout individual efforts played a big role in their success.
Post-Match Reactions
Harmanpreet Kaur, India Captain: “I’m proud of how our team played today. Our bowlers got us off to a great start, and the batters finished the job . We can’t wait for the final and hope to bring the cup back home.”
Nigar Sultana, Bangladesh Captain: “It was a tough game for us. We couldn’t put enough runs on the board, and credit to the Indian team for their excellent performance. We’ll learn from this and come back stronger.”
To wrap up
India’s big win over Bangladesh in the semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2024 shows how good they are at the game. As they head to the final, cricket fans and experts can’t wait to see another great game from the Indian women’s cricket team.
