India Expected to Triumph Over Bangladesh in Women’s Asia Cup Semi-final
India will be heavy favorites against Bangladesh in the women’s Asia Cup semi-final on Friday. Shafali Verma will be looking to go all out, while Smriti Mandhana will be more than eager to score a big one.
Shafali, who has scored 158 runs so far in the competition, will need to help India get off to a strong start against Nigar Sultana’s team, which features a number of slow spinners.
The “Women In Blue” destroyed the opponents in all three games, winning by seven wickets in the UAE match, 78 runs in the Pakistan match, and 82 runs in the Nepal match.
Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain, is aware that the semi-final and final are the most important stages of the Asia Cup, but they would still be aware of Bangladesh’s potential danger on certain days.
India will need to get out to a strong start, and Shafali will want her senior opening partner Mandhana to score as well. During her 45 against Pakistan, which may have been a higher score in terms of volume, the graceful left-hander was in excellent form.
The Indian team would undoubtedly face a tougher challenge against a set of respectable slow bowlers in the Bangladesh ranks, with the UAE and Nepal making up two of their three opponents during the group league round.
Young leg-spinner Rabeya Khan and slow-arm orthodox Nahida Akhter have both taken five wickets.
With a thrifty economy rate of 3.25, Nahida would want to put more pressure on a lineup that has experience batting, while Rabeya, a leg-break bowler, is probably going to go after wickets.
Veteran Jahanara Alam and Ritu Moni, who has also contributed three wickets, make up the medium pace group.
Nonetheless, India have a wealth of talent in their ranks with middle-order players Harmanpreet, Richa Ghosh, and Jemimah Rodrigues, as well as all-round players Deepti Sharma and Puja Vastrakar to support them.
On the big day, India would like to defend a total because pitches at the Dambulla Stadium slow down significantly in the second half. But the semi-final will take place in the afternoon.
Deepti, an off-spinner, has taken eight wickets with the ball in three games thus far, demonstrating remarkable consistency. In contrast to Radha Yadav, who has been a little pricey, the economy rate of 4.66 has been equally excellent.
Renuka Singh Thakur and Vastrakar, the Indian new ball team, have both scored during the matches.
Bangladesh hasn’t had many standout hitters, so if India can score 140 runs or more, that may be sufficient to secure a spot in the championship game.
Teams: India: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan.
Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (C), Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorifa Khatun, Ritu Moni, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Sultana Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Ishma Tanjim, Rabeya Khan, Rumana Ahmed, Marufa Akter, Sabikun Nahar Jesmin.
Match starts at 2 PM IST.
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