India wins Women's Emerging Asia Cup; defeats Bangladesh by 31 runs
text_fields
Mong Kok (Hong Kong): After a subdued batting performance, the spin combo of Shreyanka Patil and Mannat Kashyap shone with the ball to lead the India U-23 squad to the Women's Emerging Asia Cup T20 title with a 31-run victory over Bangladesh in the final on Wednesday. India chose to bat first, scoring a modest 127 for 7, but the bowlers quickly answered to the challenge, splitting seven wickets between them between Patil (4/13) and Kashyap (3/20), allowing India to knock out Bangladesh for 96 in 19.2 overs.
Off-break bowler Kanika Ahuja (2/23) also chipped in with two wickets.
It was a complete spin show from the Indians with off-spinner Patil and slow left-arm orthodox Kashyap ruling the roost on a slow Mission Road Ground pitch.
Sobhana Mostary and Nahida Akter scored 16 runs each, while Nahida Akter remained stranded on 17 not out for Bangladesh.
Earlier, Dinesh Vrinda (36 off 29) was the top-scorer for India while Kanika Ahuja remained unbeaten on 30 off 23 balls.
It was a struggle for Indian batters as only four of them managed double-digit scores with Bangladesh bowlers picking up wickets at regular intervals, not allowing India to build any substantial partnership.
Besides Vrinda and Ahuja, wicketkeeper U Chetry (22) and skipper Shweta Sehrawat (13) were the other two Indian batters to reach double-digit scores.
For Bangladesh, slow left-arm orthodox bowler Nahida Akter (2/13) and off-spinner Sultana Khatun (2/30) picked up two wickets apiece.
India progressed to the final after their semifinal against Sri Lanka was washed out without a ball being bowled on Tuesday.
In a bizarre run of events, India played only one game in the run-up to the final, their opener against hosts Hong Kong, which they won by nine wickets.
India's other three matches, including the semifinal against Sri Lanka, were washed out without a ball being bowled.
In fact, rain played spoilsport throughout the tournament, forcing as many as eight games to be washed out.
With PTI inputs
