India defend 95 to create history as Bangladesh lose 4 wickets in last over
This is the joint-second lowest total that India successfully defended. The team had earlier defended 95 way back in 2012 against West Indies.
India Women have sealed the ongoing three-match T20I series against Bangladesh with one match to go. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side won the second T20I by 8 runs as Bangladesh lost four wickets in the last over that was bowled by Shafali Verma. Moreover, India defended their joint-second lowest total successfully repeating the 2012 feat when the Women in Blue had won after posting 95 runs on the board against West Indies.
As far as the match is concerned, after opting to bat first, India started well with their openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana adding 33 runs in four overs for the opening wicket. However, once the partnership was broken, the spinners were all over the visiting batters as India could never up the ante. Perhaps the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues and Harleen Deol could never get going as they mustered 8 and 6 runs respectively after facing 21 balls each.
Deepti Sharma tried to hang in the middle but she didn't get her timing right either. Amanjot Kaur played a few shots for her 14 while Pooja Vastrakar and Minnu Mani also hit a four each late in the innings as India somehow scraped to 95 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their 20 overs.
On a slow pitch, Bangladesh just needed a decent start and they also scored 10 runs in the first over. But Harmanpreet Kaur smartly employed only with spinners after the opening over and never allowed the Bangladesh innings to prosper. The hosts losts wickets at regular intervals with a few batters throwing it away as well. Skipper Nigar Sultana and extras from India's bowlers kept Bangladesh in the hunt in the chase.
Sultana played very patiently but pressure got to her in the penultimate over of the innings. She was stumped off Deepti in the 19th over but not before scoring 38 runs off 55 balls with two fours to her name. Bangladesh lost four wickets in the last over of Shafali Verma when they needed 10 runs to win and were eventually bundled out for just 87 runs in their 20 overs.
Deepti Sharma and Shafali were the pick of the bowlers for India returning with figures of 3/12 and 3/15 each while Minnu Mani delivered a brilliant opening spell of 2/9 in her four overs bowling a maiden as well. Deepti Sharma won the Player of the Match for her efforts with the ball.