Sri Lanka is hosting the ninth edition of the Women’s Asia Cup with a total of eight teams participating. The tournament will be played from July 19th to July 28th, with all matches held in Dambulla. The tournament got underway with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) taking on Nepal in the opener. Against all odds, Nepal registered a thrilling 6-wicket victory over the UAE, chasing a target of 116.
Highlights from the match:
Maiden victory for Nepal in the Women’s Asia Cup.
The emotion says it all ❤️ #CricketTwitter #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/IAeJ94weSx
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) July 19, 2024
Khushi Sharma 36 (UAE)
The middle-order batter from the UAE, Khushi Sharma, came into bat when the UAE found themselves in trouble, losing their fourth wicket with only 46 runs on the board. She formed a crucial 32-run partnership with Kavisha Egodage before Kavisha was dismissed for 22. Khushi scored 36 runs off 39 balls, including two boundaries. Following her innings, the UAE posted a fighting total of 115, with Khushi Sharma being their top scorer.
Indu Barma 3/19 (NEP)
The Nepal skipper was exceptional with the ball, finishing with figures of 3 for 19. Her first victim was the dangerous opener, Theertha Sathish, dismissing her for 9. She then bowled in the eighth over to dismiss Samaira Dharnidharka for 13. Her third wicket was again a crucial one, as it came in the form of Khushi Sharma, who was well settled on 36. Indu Barma was the top bowler for Nepal, playing a crucial role in restricting the UAE to 115. With the bat, she scored 8 runs before being dismissed.
Kavisha Egodage 22 & 3/12 (UAE)
Though the UAE lost the match, it was Kavisha Egodage who kept her side in the hunt with both bat and ball. Initially, she scored 22 runs off 26 balls, including two boundaries. With the ball, she was outstanding and provided the first breakthrough for the UAE by dismissing Sita Rana Magar. This was followed by another wicket in the next over, dismissing Kabita Kunwar for 2. She provided regular intervals for the UAE, finishing with figures of 3 for 12 in four overs, including a maiden over.
Samjhana Khadka 72 (NEP)
Samjhana Khadka couldn’t have picked a better occasion to score her maiden T20I innings, scoring an unbeaten 72 off 45 balls. Chasing a target of 116, Nepal faced hurdles, but Samjhana Khadka’s intent ensured nothing of the sort occurred. The right-handed batter took advantage of the field restrictions and targeted the spinners early in her innings. Her steady innings helped the Nepal side register a comfortable 6-wicket victory over the UAE, but also their first-ever victory in the Women’s Asia Cup. She smashed 11 boundaries throughout her innings and was eventually awarded the player of the match.