Riding on Yastika Bhatia’s 36 and Renuka Singh Thakur’s 3-18, India defeated Bangladesh by 44 runs in the opening game of the five-match T20I series at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Electing to bat first, Yastika, Shafali Verma (31) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (30) crossed 30s. But after Harmanpreet fell, Bangladesh pulled things back to keep India at 145/7. In reply, Bangladesh lost four wickets quickly and eventually made 101/8 in their 20 overs. Apart from Renuka, fast-bowler Pooja Vastrakar took 2-25, while Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav and Deepti Sharma took a wicket each in a tight bowling show to ensure India now have a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, which is crucial from a T20 World Cup preparation point of view.
Earlier, good knocks by Yastika, Shafali and Harmanpreet ensured India got a decent total on a slow pitch. India’s innings began with Shafali and Smriti Mandhana hitting four boundaries between themselves in the first two overs. But Smriti, who got a reprieve in the second over, couldn’t capitalise on it and inside-edged a delivery onto her stumps.
Debutante all rounder Sajeevan Sajana made 11 before falling to Rabeya, while Richa Ghosh hit two fours and a six in her 17-ball 23 before holing out to long-on off Marufa’s bowling in the final over.
