India raze Bangladesh to qualify for the Women’s Asia Cup final

The Indian women’s cricket team ran roughshod over Bangladesh in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 semis to book their final berth, where they will clash with Sri Lanka. The bowlers, spearheaded by Renuka Singh Thakur, left Bangladesh stumbling and eventually grounded while the batters wasted no time to shoot down a modest total.

Renuka Singh struck thrice in the first three overs where she got rid of Dilara Akter (6), Murshida Khatun (4) and Ishma Tanjim (8) to leave Bangladesh wobbling. Their captain, Nigar Sultana (32) was the solitary warrior but that performance was no match for India’s formidable bowling unit that had their neighbours on a string.

Radha Yadav joined the groove alongside the Himachal Express, registering three wickets for herself while Team India restricted Bangladesh to 80/8 from 20 overs.

Walking out to bat, the Indian openers, Shafali Verma (26*) and Smriti Mandhana (55*) cruised to the finishing line in just 11 overs, Mandhana completed her half-century on the back of nine fours and a six while Verma smashed a couple of fours en route to the finishing line. Renuka Singh won the Player of the Match for that early blistering spell that reduced Bangladesh to cautionary tale.

India will be playing Sri Lanka in the final of the tournament as the latter bettered Pakistan in a modest-scoring encounter.