India’s women’s cricket team is through to the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 semifinal. Despite resting Harmanpreet Kaur and Pooja Vastrakar, the Women in Blue recorded a commanding 82-run victory over Nepal. Deciding to bat first, interim captain Smriti Mandhana sent Dayalan Hemalatha to open alongside Shafali Verma and never even came out to bat.
Shafali schools Nepal
Hemalatha and Shafali started things off with a bang, stitching a 122-run opening stand. Shafali did most of the heavy lifting in the partnership, while Hemalatha played second foil. Sita Rana Magar, who ended up being the best Nepalese bowler, broke up the opening stand as Hemalatha went out for 47. In her next over, Rana Magar got Shafali stumped for 81 and shifted the momentum towards Nepal. Her twin strikes were the reason why India failed to cross the 200-run mark.
In the remaining six overs, the Women in Blue managed to score just 56 runs despite having 8 wickets in hand. S Sajana’s promotion up the order failed as she chewed up 12 balls to score just 10. If not for Jemimah Rodrigues’ 15-ball 28, India might not have even crossed the 170-run mark. Despite underscoring, India felt they were ahead in the game and their bowlers would prove so soon.
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Defending 178, Arundhati Reddy started with a wicket in her first over. Renuka Singh joined the party, and Nepal was two down in the power play. Captain Indu Barma and Sita Rana Magar struck a small partnership, but the slow scoring eventually gave in, and when Indu fell, a domino effect started. Every second over, a wicket started to fall, and from 43/2 in 9.1 overs, Nepal were reduced to 96/9 in 20 overs.
Arundathi may have started it, but it was Deepti Sharma who ended the proceedings. The off-spinner got the most wickets of any bowler. She started by sending Rubina Chhetry and Kabita Joshi back in the space of two balls and ran Puja Mahato out. Her last wicket came in the final over of the match, Kajal Shrestha, and then it was all over.
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