On a pleasantly temperate Thursday in the bustling city of Sylhet, the Indian Women’s cricket team showcased their T20 prowess, outclassing hosts Bangladesh to secure a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The excitement was palpable, as fans were eager to witness a competitive encounter following Bangladesh’s improved batting performance compared to their previous outings.
Opener Dilara Akter was the linchpin of the Bangladesh innings, dazzling the crowd with an aggressive 39 off 27 deliveries. Her spirited knock, coupled with contributions from skipper Nigar Sultana, gave fans a glimmer of hope as the team’s total neared the 120-run mark. However, this hope was fleeting; despite these valiant efforts at the top, the middle and lower batting order succumbed to the pressure, crumbling and thus leaving Bangladesh with a less-than-formidable total of 117 on the board at the close of their innings.
India’s bowling attack was methodical and disciplined, slicing through the opposition with a collective prowess that spoke volumes of their intent. Radha Yadav emerged as the spearhead, her spellbinding left-arm spin garnering 2 wickets for just 22 runs. Complementing her were Renuka Singh Thakur, Pooja Vastrakar, and Shreyanka Patil, each chipping away at the batting lineup with wickets of their own. Deepti Sharma may not have claimed any victims this time, but her economical bowling strangled Bangladesh’s hopes for a robust total, conceding a mere 18 runs in her quota of overs.
As the Indian innings unfolded, the duo of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma constructed a batting masterclass, methodically chasing down the target. Their refined strategy saw them calmly handle the initial overs, sizing up the pitch and opposition. When loose deliveries were offered, they capitalized, dispatching the ball beyond the boundary with an air of inevitability. The power-packed partnership matured at a blistering pace, sending a clear message as fifty runs were on the board within just six overs.
Their assault did not relent even outside the powerplay – Verma’s blistering boundaries and Mandhana’s elegant strokes kept spectators riveted. The Bangladesh bowlers, though resolute, found themselves outmatched as the Indian batters looked in serene command of their chase. It felt less a question of whether India would reach the target, but when.
Amidst the rampant run-scoring, Mandhana narrowly missed a well-deserved fifty, falling just three runs short. Verma notched up her own half-century, only to depart shortly after. A brief stumble followed as D Hemalatha, the stalwart from the previous game, also succumbed. This sudden cluster of wickets appeared to tilt the scales, if only slightly, with India’s score teetering three down. It was, however, too little too late for Bangladesh. With just eight runs to victory, seasoned campaigners Richa Ghosh and Harmanpreet Kaur stepped in to seal the deal, leading India to a comfortable victory.
With the series now beyond reach for the hosts, India looks forward to experimenting and rotating their squad in the remaining matches. The T20 World Cup, to be hosted in the same country, looms on the horizon, and team India’s management will be keen on testing bench strength and strategic variations in anticipation of the global event. The crisp cricketing display by the Women in Blue has sent a resonant message across the cricketing fraternity; India is a force to be reckoned with and they are just warming up.
