In a thrilling finale to the T20I series, Bangladesh secured a consolation win against India, preventing the visitors from achieving a clean sweep. Chasing a modest target of 103 runs, Bangladesh’s opener, Shamima Sultana, played a crucial role, scoring a patient 42 off 46 balls.
Once again, India found themselves struggling against Bangladesh’s spinners, reminiscent of their difficulties in the second T20I. Shafali Verma attempted an aggressive shot but could only find the fielder at long-on. Seamer Marufa Akter and Sultana effectively contained Shafali by deploying two deep fielders on the leg side and denying her width outside off stump.
Shorna Akter struck in her lone over, dismissing a well-set Jemimah Rodrigues, who was stumped, triggering a collapse from 91 for 3 to 102 for 9. Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma, and Minnu Mani all fell victim to spin while attempting to accelerate in the final overs. Deepti was caught at deep midwicket off the final delivery, handing Rabeya a well-deserved three-wicket haul.
Bangladesh’s spinners bowled 17 overs, exerting significant pressure on India, who faced 44 dot balls during their innings. Harmanpreet Kaur, who had struggled in the previous match, played a crucial innings to stabilize the Indian innings again. Harmanpreet struck the sole six of the game too. However, after her dismissal, in the last four overs, India managed just 12 runs, losing six wickets in the process, and finished their innings at 102 for 9.
First win for Bangladesh women's team against India since 2018 🙌👏
Bangladesh last defeated India on 10 Jun 2018 in the Final of the Women's Asia Cup. #CricketTwitter #BANvIND pic.twitter.com/VxMIxddnbI
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) July 13, 2023
With a target of 103, Shamima Sultana took it upon herself to lead Bangladesh’s chase, displaying responsibility and resilience. She focused on rotating the strike, hitting only three boundaries throughout her innings. Sultana formed a crucial partnership of 46 runs with captain Nigar Sultana, which set the stage for a successful chase.
Ritu Moni and Nahida Akter kept their composure, ensuring Bangladesh did not encounter further hiccups. A pivotal moment came in the form of a 13-run over from debutant Rashi Kanojiya, who was brought in as a replacement for B Anusha. This over eased the pressure on the batting side, and Bangladesh sealed the victory with relative ease. The win was a testament to their bowlers’ exceptional performance in back-to-back matches.
🇮🇳 India win the T20I series against 🇧🇩 Bangladesh by 2️⃣-1️⃣ 🤩#CricketTwitter #BANvIND 📸: BCCI pic.twitter.com/fGXSZmQrrw
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) July 13, 2023
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