Women’s Asia Cup: India face Bangladesh in semi-final for title shot
text_fields
Dubai: Seven-time champions India will look to find greater batting stability, particularly in the middle order, when they face a spirited Bangladesh in the Women's Asia Cup semi-final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
The winner of the clash will secure a place in the title decider, scheduled for Sunday.
India have dominated Bangladesh in recent years, winning their last eight T20I meetings. However, memories of the 2018 Asia Cup, when Bangladesh stunned India twice on their way to a historic maiden title, including a victory in the final, remain a reminder of their ability to upset the tournament favourites.
India, who topped Group A, enter the semi-final as firm favourites, but their batting line-up has shown occasional vulnerability that Bangladesh will look to exploit. A collapse of eight wickets for 46 runs against Thailand earlier in the tournament highlighted India's unresolved middle-order concerns.
The issue had also proved costly during India's recent T20 World Cup campaign, when they failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
Bangladesh have their own batting concerns to address, but their in-form pacer Marufa Akter could pose a significant threat. She has struck in her opening spell in every match of the tournament and boasts an impressive economy rate of 3.27. Her ability to move the new ball could test India's in-form top order of Smriti Mandhana, explosive opener Shafali Verma and Pratika Rawal.
Pratika, who has stepped in at No. 3 for the injured Jemimah Rodrigues, has scored 36 runs across three innings at a strike rate of 109.09. The high-stakes semi-final gives her an important opportunity to make a defining contribution against Bangladesh.
Smriti, meanwhile, needs 69 more runs to become the leading run-scorer in women's T20Is. She has already become the highest run-getter in women's international cricket and moved to the top of the centuries list after her memorable 124 against Hong Kong.
In Dubai's spin-friendly conditions, India's bowling attack has been outstanding, with their spinners taking 21 wickets at a tournament-best average of 4.42. Left-arm spinner N Sree Charani has been particularly effective, taking 21 wickets in her last eight T20Is.
Teams batting first have won eight of the 12 matches played so far in the tournament. Evening temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius are also expected to add to the physical demands of the knockout clash, with the result likely to hinge on which batting line-up rises to the occasion.
When: Thursday, September 9, 8:00 p.m. IST
Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Where to watch: Live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD and HD channels on television. Live streaming will be available on the Sony LIV app and website.
Squads
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), G Kamalini (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, N Sree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Pratika Rawal
Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (captain), Nahida Akter (vice-captain), Dilara Akter, Farjana Easmin, Juairiya Ferdous, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sarmin Sultana, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Sultana Khatun, Shanjida Akther Maghla
With IANS inputs