Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur began the brand new worldwide season with a smashing half-century because the Indian girls’s crew cantered to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh within the opening T20 Worldwide right here on Sunday.
Opting to bowl, the Indian spinners used the situations to their benefit and restricted Bangladesh to a meagre 114 for five.
In reply, Harmanpreet (54 not out 35 balls) and her deputy Smriti Mandhana (38 off 34 balls) added 70 runs for the third wicket to chase down the goal in simply 16.2 overs.
The skipper hit six boundaries and two sixes and made finest use of the 2 reprieves that she obtained off left-arm spinner Nahida Akter’s bowling.
Mandhana was the pace-setter for India as she hit some delectable boundaries, 5 of them in all, together with a rasping sq. lower off seamer Marufa Akter and an inside out lofted cover-drive. They have been photographs out of prime drawer.
This was after the Indian bowlers set it up completely for the batters, who needed to hardly break a sweat whereas chasing down a simple goal.
The spin assault, led by the skilled Deepti Sharma (0/14 in 4 overs), together with debutants — gradual left arm orthodox Anusha Bareddy (0/24 in 4 overs) and off-break bowler Minnu Manni (1/21 in 3 overs) — executed skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s plan of bowling on one aspect of the wicket completely.
Leg-spinner Shafali Verma (1/18 in 3 overs) was additionally totally on goal, save a six that top-scorer Sorna Akhtar (28 off 28 balls) hit off her bowling.
The concept was to pack the off-side area with 5 fielders and bowl on the fourth or fifth off-stump line and the Bangladeshi batters, principally right-handers, discovered it tough to pierce the cordon.
This was after debutant Mani obtained her maiden wicket when Shamima Sultana (17), after tonking the offie for a six, couldn’t join her slog sweep and Jemimah Rodrigues took a wise catch at sq. leg.
Pooja Vastrakar then softened Shathi Rani (22) with a brief ball, earlier than castling her with an ideal fuller supply.
The skilled Nigar Sultana (2) was run-out and Shafali tossed one as much as do away with Shobhana Mostary (23 off 33 balls), who was getting more and more annoyed.
The truth is, Bangladesh consumed as many as 62 dot balls which is greater than half of the innings, with solely eight fours and three sixes in all. Two of these hits by Sorna ensured that the hosts crossed the 100-run mark.
When India began the chase, Shafali paid worth for her lack of footwork as she was adjudged plumb in entrance whereas being rooted to the crease.
Rodrigues was performed on when she tried to chop an off-break from Sultana Khatun.
Nonetheless, as soon as Harmanpreet and Mandhana joined forces, there was hardly any concern for the successful crew.