Asian Games 2023 Cricket: The Smriti Mandhana-led Indian women's team defeated the Bangladesh side in the first semifinal of the women's cricket event at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sunday, September 24. The Women in Blue thumped down Bangladesh in a lopsided affair at the Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field, Hangzhou to register as they chased down the target of 52 with ease. Earlier, the shooting and rowing athletes won two Silver medals as India opened its medals tally on Day 1 of the Hangzhou spectacle.
The Indian women's side dominated the semifinal. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first but that was the only thing that went to Nigar Sultana team's way. They were blown away by some disciplined Indian bowling and some naive mistakes on their own. Bangladesh were bowled out for their lowest T20I total against India as none of the batter barring Sultana could enter into the double digits.
Pooja Vastrakar was the pick of the Indian bowlers as she scalped four wickets in her four overs. Titas Sadhu, Amanjot Kaur and Devika Vaidya took one wicket each as the bowlers made merry of the occasion. Chasing the meagre score, Jemimah Rodrigues and Kanika Ahuja took the team over the finishing line after both the openers were dismissed for 40. Both Rodrigues and Ahuja remained unbeaten on 20 and 1, respectively.
The Women in Blue will face either Pakistan or Sri Lanka in the final of the event on Sunday. The other semifinal clash is between these two Asian Giants.
India had earlier qualified for the semifinal due to higher seeding when the quarterfinal against Malaysia was washed out. The Women in Blue batted first in the Malaysia game and the batting unit punished the opposition side. Shafali Verma scored a quick-fire 67 from 39 balls while Jemimah Rodrigues made 47 off deliveries. The match was washed out in Malaysia's chase when they were at 1/0 at 0.2 overs. India had earlier qualified for the semifinal due to higher seeding when the quarterfinal against Malaysia was washed out.
The Women in Blue batted first in the Malaysia game and the batting unit punished the opposition side. Shafali Verma scored a quick-fire 67 from 39 balls while Jemimah Rodrigues made 47 off deliveries. The match was washed out in Malaysia's chase when they were at 1/0 at 0.2 overs.
