IND vs BAN Women’s Asia Cup 2024 Semifinal Highlights: Smriti Mandhana fifty carries India to final

Bowlers did very well. Good to see plans being executed. They’re coming up with good ideas, hitting the right line and length. They step up when I need them to and I can’t ask for more. 

Consistency is important for us. We’ve been doing well for a long time. We hope to keep doing well. 

We have been dominating Asian cricket. We want to keep doing what we are doing for a long time. We prepare ourselves very hard in nets, so that when we go out there, we don’t feel pressure. 

When you work hard, every wicket is special. It’s a big match and feels good to do well. 

We need to fix our batting. We are losing a lot of games because of it. 

We couldn’t understand what we wanted. We lost too many wickets in the PowerPlay and that hurt. When the top order is not making runs, it is difficult for teams to come up with runs. 

A straight-forward 10-wicket win for India with Smriti Mandhana getting to a fifty in yet another low-scoring affair. She did the same, taking charge of the chase in that low-scorer against South Africa in Chennai to tie the series. Copy paste here too. Too easy for an opening pair that’s in the form of their life. 

Jahanara Alam was promising for Bangladesh but the rest of the pack allowed India to control the chase. The bigger problem was that there were barely any runs to even competitively keep them in the game. 

Nahida gives away a single first up. Two dots follow. Mandhana then goes down on one knee and sweeps the ball over square leg for FOUR. Another boundary for Mandhana who nudges it through slip for FOUR. She brings up her half century. FOUR. OH hold on, another one. This time, through extra cover. That’s the game. A 10-wicket win for India in a chase led by Smriti Mandhana.

Just five runs off the over. 11 needed off 60 balls.

Smriti with another FOUR as she goes inside out to find the boundary through the covers. Nahida DROPS Shafali at 21!

India brings up 50 much quickly than its opponents did. A FOUR hit with ease! Smriti pulls it towards square leg and finds the boundary. A let off for Smriti as Jahanara bowls a no ball as the batter was caught at point. 

Rabeya is the new bowler. Cut the single, Joty says from behind the stumps. Three runs come off this over. 

Jahanara Alam returns to finish the PowerPlay. Very disciplined bowler. Two dots to start. Mandhana gets a single through cover and that will be the only run for this over. Incredible from the experienced pro. 

Nahida now, from the other end. Shafali nudges the ball away for a single. Smriti Mandhana swats a low delivery through the square leg fence for FOUR. Nahida then pitches it up to Smriti, nicely swung with a straight bat throug mid-off for FOUR. Smriti then runs one, a tight one this. If Bangladesh’s fielders were cleaner with the pick up and throw, it would have just been curtains for the Indian vice-captain. Shafali sweeps to midwicket for a single. More purposeful scoring now. Smriti then swipes across the line to the leg side for a single. 

36 runs in 90 balls.

First over for Jahanara Alam. Starting from the far end. Gives away a single. Two dots follow. She’s oscillating between fuller and length deliveries. The field has been good to Jahanara. Smriti Mandhana may look very calm but she unsettles Bangladesh with one shot. Pulled over deep backward square for SIX. All that good work undone. Effortless bat swing from Smriti Mandhana. There was a fielder there, but no one could beat that ball. This was a shorter ball and Mandhana lept for it. Seven runs come off the over. 

48 needed from 96 balls

Marufa returns. Shafali looks to first go big but ends up just punching the ball for a single through long-on. Smriti Mandhana will do what Shafali couldn’t. Pure class. Gets on the backfoot and nudges the ball behind point for FOUR. Marufa recovers, going round the wicket and angling it into the pads to Smriti. No run. Smriti goes through the cover now, but will just get a single. Shafali Verma now compensates. Pure strength as she goes on one knee and swats the ball to the deep midwicket fence. FOUR. Nicely taken from well outside off to the leg side. Gorgeous to watch the precision from the 20-year-old. Expensive over this. Marufa then chokes the opener for space. Nigar encourages her, despite the single conceded. 55 runs needed in 102 balls.

Nahida Akter comes on and is welcomed in typical Shafali fashion. So much power from Shafali. FOUR. Goes down on one knee and sweeps over deep backward square leg. Singles follow. Happy to chip away. Nahida is on 99 wickets in T20Is. She’s waiting for that milestone too. 

The openers are happy to patiently get through. 

Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana begin for India. Two dot balls to start from Marufa. She’s bowling well into the stumps. Shafali manages to pull Marufa for a single. Smriti Mandhana then beats the mid-off fielder to send the ball running away to the boundary. FOUR. Brilliant batting this. It unsettles Marufa who overcompensates a bit with a wide. 

Six runs come off the over in total. 

India will want to make a meal of this and get done as soon as possible. What can Bangladesh’s bowlers do to stop the Indian march?

It was Renuka in the start of Bangladesh’s innings and Radha towards the end as the batters were never given a chance to settle down. It was Nigar Sultana who was the highest scorer amongst the batters, after scoring 32 off 51, before she was removed for the first time in this edition. Renuka and Radha scalped three apiece as the latter ended the innings with a double-wicket maiden. The path to the final seems to be a smooth one for India, unless Bangladeshi bowlers can spring up a surprise from the off.

Radha to bowl the final over of the innings. First ball, and WICKET! Radha dismisses Nigar as the batter goes back to the dugout for the first time in this edition as she goes out for 32. Nahida Akter the newest batter in. Another WICKET! Nahida goes for the big shot as she misses and the ball finds the stumps. Marufa Akter comes in. A double-wicket maiden! India has to get 81 to enter the final.

Pooja with the penultimate over. Great fielding from Uma as she sprints towards deep extra cover to save two runs. Shorna hits the short ball over the fielder at mid on and for a FOUR. A very, very wide ball from Pooja as the ball doesn’t even land on the pitch! A no ball. Shorna takes advantage and sends the ball over the covers for a FOUR as Shafali cannot chase it. A very expensive over as 13 runs from it.

Deepti bowling out now. Shorna goes big and tries to find the gap over at deep mid wicket but Tanuja does well to save two runs. A single to end the over.

Radha Yadav with her third over. A FOUR after a long long time as the slightest of edges takes Shorna’s shot past Richa’s gloves and towards the boundary rope. A chance to get India’s seventh but the shot is just short off Jemimah Rodrigues. Eight runs from the over.

Deepti with her third over. Bangladesh brings up 50 in the 16th over. An overthrow gives Bangladesh the chance to take two runs.

Tanuja with her final over. Five runs off the over.

Deepti with the ball. A loud and certain appeal from Richa as the umpire goes upstairs. The batter’s shoe seems to be in the air and behind the line as Ritu Moni has to walk back for just five. India takes the sixth WICKET. Shorna Akter the newest batter at the crease. Just one run from the over.

Tanuja’s second spell. Six runs off the four in way of singles and twos.

Radha with her second over. Batters are trying to rotate the strike but the run rate is excruciatingly low. Four runs off the over.

Pooja back for her third over. WICKET! Rabeya tries to pull a short ball but the shot doesn’t get the distance. It goes in the air and Shafali at short mid wicket comes forward and dives to take the catch. 

Radha Yadav with her first over and she clears Rumana’s stumps with her first ball! India’s fourth WICKET as the teams break for drinks. Just two runs from the over.

Pooja back for her second spell. Deepti stops the boundary-bound ball as Nigar looked for some runs towards square leg. Another good over.

Deepti Sharma bowling her first over. Rumana opens her account with a single after hitting it towards mid-wicket. Another single to end the over, just three off it.

Renuka is going to bowl out as she plays her fourth over with the ball. And she finishes her spell (3/10) with a maiden over.

Tanuja with the ball. Nigar hits a FOUR towards square leg.as a diving Renuka couldn’t save it. PowerPlay ends.

Renuka bowling her third. Missed opportunity! Deepti Sharma, at the slip, lets the ball go for a single. And the pacer picks up yet another WICKET! Murshida pulls a lower delivery and the shot goes towards mid wicket but Shafali Verma takes an easy catch. Rumana Ahmed comes in to bat.

Tanuja replaces Pooja. The tweaker is spinning the ball quite well, slipping a few which turn towards the right-handed batter. Just two runs off the over.

Renuka back for her second over. She’s bowling to Murshida, a left-handed batter. Another WICKET for Renuka and India. Ishma tries to cut it over point but Tanuja Kanwer is there to jump and catch the shot.

Pooja Vastrakar, who rested against Nepal, with her first over. Murshida takes a single as she pulls it towards square leg. Ishma gets off the mark with a FOUR towards fine leg. Another FOUR to end the over as it goes fine, behind the wicketkeeper.

Renuka Singh Thakur with the ball. A lot of movement as the pacer swings it in towards Dilara, a right-handed batter. Richa Ghosh, the wicketkeeper, comes across at the right time to stop the wide ball. And that’s a SIX! The breeze seemed to have helped carry the ball way farther than the boundary rope, well over the fielders over at square leg. Dilara goes for another maximum, this time towards square leg again, but Uma Chetry is there to take the catch. First WICKET for India. Ishma Tanjim the new batter. Seven off the over, with the first scalp.

It’s Dilara Akter and Murshida Khatun at the crease.

Both sides are out on the field, singing their respective national anthems before the first semifinal begins.

“Our big takeaways so far are our batting and our bowling. In 2018, Bangladesh had a 2-0 lead over us. But recently, we toured Bangladesh and won 5-0 there. Should be a competitive game, players looking forward to it. It will be a charged up atmosphere in the semifinals.”

The match is back to pitch 4 which was the flatter wicket.59m boundary all around. Cracks on the surface so something in it for the spinners potentially. Plenty of wind around.

Bangladesh XI: Dilara, Murshida, Nigar, Rumana, Ishma, Ritu, Rabeya, Shorna, Nahida, Jahanara, Marufa

India XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Uma Chetry, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues. Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Tanuja Kanwer, Renuka Singh

Nigar Sultana says the wicket looks good. She wants to bat free in these kind of games. Focus is on partnerships. The 2018 win over India is a long way in the past. India has been good since then. We need to play collectively. 

One change: Marufa Akter in for Jesmin

Harmanpreet Kaur: Not too fussed about chasing. 

India and Bangladesh have met in 22 T20Is. India is miles ahead with 19 wuins while Bangladesh has only managed to get the better of its subcontinental neighbour thrice so far. 

The Women In Blue pummeled the opposition in all three games -- winning by seven wickets against Pakistan, 78 runs against UAE and by an 82-run margin against Nepal.

However, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur knows that in Asia Cup, it is only the semifinal and final matter the most and it would not miss the fact that Bangladesh on select days can be a dangerous side.

Women’s Asia Cup 2024 semifinal: India starts firm favourite against Bangladesh

Shafali Verma will be aiming to come out all guns blazing while Smriti Mandhana will be more than motivated to get a big one as India starts overwhelming favourite against Bangladesh in the semifinal of the Women’s Asia Cup here on Friday.

Shafali Verma, in a pre-game press conference, said the defending champion has placed a special emphasis on its fielding after a largely underwhelming effort thus far in the event.

“We are working hard on our fielding. Hopefully, we will be able to tick the boxes in all three departments – batting, bowling, fielding – tomorrow against Bangladesh,” she said.

Women’s Asia Cup 2024 semifinal: Special focus on fielding plus overall improvement key for title defence, says Shafali

Shafali said even the lower-order batters have also been working on their skills in the nets, particularly because they are yet to get a chance to bat in the Asia Cup.

Bangladesh recovered after a wonky start to its campaign to finish second in Group B and earn a spot in the semifinal

Group B

lost to Sri Lanka by 7 wickets (with 17 balls remaining)

beat Thailand by 7 wickets (with 15 balls remaining)

beat Malaysia by 114 runs

India has been the strongest side in the tournament so far. Here’s how it topped Group A and made it to the last four 

Group A

beat Pakistan by 7 wickets (35 balls left)

beat UAE by 78 runs

beat Nepal by 82 runs

And then there were four. UAE, Nepal, Malaysia and Thailand have returned home from the group stage while India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Pakistan will now fight for a chance to make the big final. Catch all the live updates here on Sportstar.