File picture of Pooja Vastrakar
| Photo Credit: The HIndu
Pace duo of Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar shared 5 wickets as India produced a scientific bowling show to outclass Bangladesh by 44 runs in the opening women’s T20I in Sylhet on April 28.
Opting to bat, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Yastika Bhatia offered solidity in the center order however India missed the late flourish to handle 145 for seven.
The hosts should have fancied their probabilities of chasing down the overall however Indian bowlers led by Renuka delivered the products to restrict Bangladesh to 101 for 8.
Skipper Nigar Sultana waged a lonely battle with a 51 off 48 however did not get any help from the opposite finish.
For India, Renuka was the chief of the bowling unit as she trapped Dilara Akter (4) in her third ball earlier than cleansing up Sobhana Mostary (6) in fifth over.
Experienced spinner Deepti Sharma then eliminated Murshida Khatun (13) LBW, whereas Vastrakar rapped Fahima Khatun (1) on the pads in seventh over to depart the hosts at 30 for 4.
Radha Yadav too tossed one as much as deceive Shorna Akter (11), whereas Renuka returned to eliminate Rabeya Khan (2). Shreyanka Patil too joined the get together, sending again Nahida Akter (9), earlier than Sultana fell to Vastrakar in the ultimate over.
Earlier, charismatic opener Smriti Mandhana departed for simply 9 runs however Shafali Verma put up a gritty show to attain a 22-ball 31.
Bhatia (36 off 29 balls) and Harmappreet (30 off 22) then got here up with a 45-run partnership, as India batters overcame the challenges on a sluggish wicket.
Bangladesh leg-spinner Rabeya Khan was essentially the most profitable bowler for the hosts, returning figures of three/23 in 4 overs.
Mandhana began in proper earnest dispatching Sultan Khatun’s consecutive deliveries in the second over to the ropes.
The India vice-captain first danced down the observe to heave the ball over the additional cowl fielder earlier than swatting a short-pitched supply by means of the sq. leg area.
But Mandhana’s keep was lower quick as she tried to play a Fariha Trisna (1/23) ball throughout the road, solely to discover a thick inside edge uprooting her leg stump.
That blow saved the Indian batters silent for a superb one over earlier than Shafali declared her intention by heaving a tossed up supply over the lengthy on fence for an enormous six off Khatun.
Shafali and Yastika continued to attain at an affordable price, selecting up free deliveries from Fariha and Nahida Akter to hit boundaries.
But Shafali departed in the ninth over, attempting to play a Rabeya Khan supply throughout the road solely to finish up giving a straightforward catch to Fahima at further cowl.
With Harmanpreet becoming a member of Yastika on the crease, runs got here freely. She selected Rabiya for particular remedy in the 11th over, scoring 13 runs with the assistance of two boundaries.
Yastika too confirmed excellent method and timing, enjoying some beautiful boundaries off left-arm pacer Fariha Trisna in the 13th over as India crossed the 100-run mark.
But each the well-set batters departed in fast succession, with Harmanpreet declared plumb leg-before in entrance off a Fahima supply in the 14th over and Rabeya getting the prized wicket of Yastika, caught in the purpose area by Sultana.
Earlier, Harmanpreet gained the toss and elected to bat. The five-match T20I sequence is a gown rehearsal for the upcoming T20I World Cup slated in Bangladesh later this 12 months.