Ind vs UAE Women’s Asia Cup T20 2024 Highlights: India outbats UAE to register big 78-run win

It was a great experience. Lots of learnings. How to build an innings, that is something we saw first hand, and how to finish games. This is what we need to work on.

We were never satisfied when playing such a big team. We need to make sure we need to take 10 wickets and not three. 

UAE gave a better account of themselves with the bat compared to what we saw against Nepal but it was nowhere close to what was required against a side as dominant as India. India’s batting prowess helped it march away to a 2-200+ score, the highest in Women’s Asia Cup history in the T20I format. Esha Oza, Kavisha Egodage were the batters who starred for UAE in their effort to counter a superior Indian bowling unit. The slow struggle in the first few overs set the tone for the match with UAE never really in the game throughout the duration of the fixture. 

Radha Yadav will close out the Indian defence. Kavisha and Rithika run a single each. Two run out opportunities present itself in two balls. Kavisha is safe both times, making her crease once and seeing no ball hitting the stumps in the second. She’s got a big smile on her face as she scrambles to safety. WICKET opportunity as Kavisha goes aerial to midwicket. Deepti is there and blanks out it looks like as she can’t collect an easy ball on the bounce and lets it run away to the ropes. FOUR. A run out does come, third time’s the charm. Kavisha nudges the ball to short mid on and Rithika Rajith can’t make it to the keeper’s end on time. Easy run out for Richa. That’s the end of the UAE innings. 

92 runs in 12 balls - the target

Vastrakar to bowl out. Five runs come off it. 

Deepti to bowl the 18th over. She will bowl out. Begins with a single and a dot. OH here’s a wicket. Heena Hotchandani holes out to Shafali Verma at long on. Shafali has dimissed her when the pair played against each other in the domestic circuit. Poetic. 

WICKET Heena Hotchandani c Shafali Verma b Sharma 8 (9b 1x4 0x6) SR: 88.88

Rithika Rajith is the new batter and quickly runs two followed by a single. 

Tanuja to bowl out. Kavisha runs a single. Heena wedges the ball to the leg side, to get a single through midwicket. Kavisha slashes to point for a single. Heena then flicks the ball aerially through midwicket, ball lands safely. Two runs. Two singles follow. 

96 runs needed off 18 balls. 

108 runs in 30 balls. The definition of impossible. RR: 23.77

Khushi Sharma has to walk now as Radha Yadav gets her first wicket of the day. Khushi holes out to Mandhana at extra cover. 

WICKET Khushi Sharma c Mandhana b Yadav 10 (13b 1x4 0x6) SR: 76.92

Heena Hotchandani is the new batter in. Gets off the mark with a four through long on. 

Renuka to bowl out. Starts with a dot ball. Khushi Sharma then shuffles across and sends the ball down the ground to the midwicket fence for FOUR. She then runs a single after getting the ball to long on looking for a big shot again. .Good intent from UAE. Eight runs off this over. 

Deepti returns. Nine runs come off the over including a lovely six over long on from Kavisha Egodage. Was tossed up to her and she went down on one knee to lift this out of the park. 

Tanuja into her third over. Starts with a dot ball. Kavisha then runs a single with a drive to long on. STUMPED. Esha Oza goes for the big shot, coming down the ground. Misses, Richa collects and makes no mistake with the stumping. OUT.

WICKET Esha Oza st †Ghosh b Kanwar 38 (36b 5x4 1x6) SR: 105.55

Tanuja Kanwer has a knack for picking big wickets and she gets the big fish - Esha Oza.

Khushi Sharma is the new batter. 

Deepti to continue. Esha is starting to attack that leg side boundary persistently. The ball is stopped by the ropes. Just a single. Two dot balls follow as Kavisha tries to rotate strike. She seems to be finding the fielders in any shot she tries. Patience is key for the allrounder. She finally manages to flick the ball to backward square leg and retains strike. Just the two runs from this over. 

Radha back with the ball. Harmanpreet seems to be off the field. Just six off the over.

Kavisha hits Pooja for a FOUR towards third man. The Indian pacer tries a short ball but Kavisha pulls it for another FOUR, this time towards fine leg. A single to end the over as the players break for a drink.

Radha Yadav comes for her first over. Oza steps out and hits Radha for two boundaries in this over. She’s settling in and is starting to find the gaps. One through mid off and the other through deep midwicket. 

Deepti Sharma gets her first over for the day. Oza to face the bowler - someone Harmanpreet calls her strike bowler. Oza looks in better control now. She swipes the ball getting on one knee to deep midwicket for a single. Dot ball follows for Dharnidharka as she tries to cross bat her way to a single. Deepti collects. Tanuja Kanwer saw two chances not pan out but will help Deepti get her first wicket of the day as she catches Samaira Dharnidharka at midwicket. 

WICKET Samaira Dharnidharka c Kanwar b Sharma 5 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 62.5

Esha Oza is joined by Kavisha Egodage. The UAE skipper then smacks Deepti for a gorgeous six over midwicket. A very Harmanpreet-like shot this. 

Tanuja Kanwer comes in for her second. India was 56/3 at the end of its PowerPlay, but a lot more comfortable with scoring than UAE is right now. A chance, a tough one as it may be, is squandered by Jemimah Rodrigues at cover. She had to jump to try and get that, but its put down and two runs for the batter - Dharnidharka. Four runs off the over for UAE. 

Vastrakar rounds off the PowerPlay. Oza gets a single. Vastrakar then runs through the stumps, sending Rinitha back. Whizzed straight in and hit top of off. 

WICKET Rinitha Rajith b Vastrakar 7 (3b 1x4 0x6) SR: 233.33

Samaira Dharnidharka is the new batter. She gets off the mark with a single. Oza is doing the boundary hitting here. Edged though, this one and it goes past slip for FOUR. 

Renuka returns. More pace. Theertha was getting stir crazy and she tries to go big but has no power on that ball as well. Gives Harmanpreet a simple catch at mid on. 

WICKET Theertha Satish c Kaur b Renuka Singh 4 (12b 1x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

Rinitha Rajith is the new batter and gets off the mark with a big blow through long on for FOUR. Oza also manages to find the boundary with a nudge going fine. 

Satish gone, but good over this. 

Pooja Vastrakar gets her first over and manages to squeee Oza for space. Vastrakar is a tad quicker than the others and it takes an adjustment.Four dots. Oza anticipated the short ball that Vastrakar peppers into her overs too. Testing over ends. Maiden. 

Renuka returns. Two dot balls to begin. Oza then opens up with a gorgeous square cut for FOUR. A dot and a single square on the legside follow. Theertha Satish who was yet to get off the mark in eight deliveries gets her first runs with a nice shot along the ground for FOUR. 

Tanuja Kanwer will share new ball duties. Hemalatha is getting some bandaging to her thumb on the left hand. Arundhati is on the field in her place. Oza runs a single off the first ball. Tanuja has such a sharp back arc in trying to manufacture some movement for the ball but the pitch has been flat. Theertha then got a big edge going to the point fielder, but it lands short of a diving Shafali. Just 2 runs in 2 overs for UAE. 

Esha Oza and Theertha Satish open the batting. 202 to get. A very tall ask for the side. Renuka begins for India. A dot ball to start. Swing for Renuka early on. She’s pitching outside off and the ball is coming nicely into the batter. Esha wants a run but Jemimah is on the prowl at silly point. So she hastily runs back. First runs for UAE, a single through midwicket as Renuka pitches the ball into the leg stump. Theertha drives but finds the cover fielder. Another dot, this time, drilled to short mid on. Just the one run from the over. 

India was in all sorts of trouble after Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, and Dayalan Hemalatha were removed by UAE in the PowerPlay. After that, there was a steady partnership between skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues, before the latter got out. It was Richa Ghosh’s entry that was the game changer for the Women in Blue as she rammed through the UAE bowlers and scored a brilliant 64 off just 29 balls. With Harmanpreet on the other end, who also scored her 12th T20I half-century, Richa had the freedom to be the big hitter she is. UAE has an uphill task of chasing a mammoth target of 202.

Heena to bowl the last over. A possible run out in the first ball. It has gone to the third umpire and this may be the end of Harmanpreet’s innings. It’s OUT! A very crucial innings from the skipper ends as Harmanpreet walks back after scoring 66 off 47 balls. Richa continues her blitzkrieg as she inches closer to a half-century with a FOUR. And Richa scores her first 50 in T20I with another FOUR, this time towards point. And she doesn’t stop! This time, another FOUR, towards the covers. What a peach of a shot from Richa! She reverses her bat and sweeps it towards point for yet another FOUR. And 200 up for India as Richa ends India’s innings with a FOUR towards long on.

Dharnidharka with her final over. Harmanpreet is let off the hook as the ball gets the edge and misses the stumps by a whisker. It runs for a FOUR towards fine leg. The India skipper followed it up with another FOUR, this time timing it well and flicking it towards fine leg again. That was such a beautiful sound from the bat! Harmanpreet goes big and hits a SIX over mid wicket!

Indhuja back. Richa with another FOUR, as she hits this one towards deep extra cover. Harmanpreet brings up her half-century with a single, her 12th in T20I, 11th as the captain. 

Dharnidharka back. This time Harmanpreet hits a FOUR as she hits it towards deep mid wicket. The 50-run mark comes up in this batting partnership.

Indhuja Nandakumar comes in. Risky run there as a direct hit would have sent Harmanpreet back to the dugout but the keeper doesn’t do that. Richa adds another FOUR to her kitty as she hits it towards deep extra cover. A single to end the over.

Oza returns but she is hit for a FOUR as Richa slices it towards square point. Richa plays with the spin and hits it past two fielders for another FOUR, this time towards mid off. And another FOUR! The ball slows down right in front of her as she turns and pulls it towards square leg. A full toss and Richa hits the fourth FOUR of the over.

Richa goes big and hits a SIX to long off! A single to follow that big hit. And another to end the over.

Esha Oza comes in for her first over as she replaces Vaishnave. Richa gets her first FOUR as she hits it towards deep extra cover.

Kavisha with the ball. A two to start the over. It’s been a crucial partnership between Harmanpreet and Jemimah as it crosses the 50-run mark. And the blogger’s curse strikes again! Jemimah puts all her might behind that shot as she slaps it towards mid off for the fielder to take the catch. Another WICKET for UAE as Jemimah walks back for 14. Big hitter Richa Ghosh comes in.

Vaishnave back. Harmanpreet times it well and finds the gap at deep mid wicket between two fielders to get a FOUR. The India skipper sweeps it for another FOUR towards square leg. Hundred up for India.

Harmanpreet sweeps Kavisha for a FOUR towards square leg. India’s run rate has been consistent around 8+ mark, which bodes well for the Women in Blue if they want to post a competitive score. Drinks break!

It’s Vaishnave with the ball. The India batters are resorting to mostly singles to take it slow and build a partnership.

Heena back. Harmanpreet scores her first boundary as she cuts it to third man for a FOUR. A single to end the over, nine runs off it.

Vaishnave Mahesh, the leg spinner, is brought in. With two new batters at the crease, India’s scoring rate has come down a bit as the over saw a bunch of singles and twos.

First ball and Hemalatha is OUT! Heena clean bowls her and gets the middle stump! Jemimah has come in. A reminder that the last time the two sides met, it was Jemimah Rodrigues who had scored a brilliant 75. Can she do that again and get India out of a sticky situation? Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur gets off the mark with a single on the last ball of the PowerPlay.

Dharnidharka back into the attack, and she concedes a FOUR as the ball finds Shafali’s bat and goes to fine leg for a boundary. The batter follows it with another FOUR as she flicks a full stop over mid wicket and towards the ropes. 50 up for India as Shafali seems to be on song. Blogger’s curse! We apologise! Shafali is the next to walk back to the dugout as UAE takes another WICKET! The batter goes to pull but the ball gets the edge and wicketkeeper collects it. Shafali walks back after an explosive, yet short knock.

Another new bowler, Heena with the ball. After a few good balls, Heena concedes a FOUR as Shafali sweeps it towards square leg. 

A new bowler as Kavisha Kumari comes into the attack. BIG WICKET! Smriti walks down the pitch and hit it over the mid off fielder but sends it to Rinitha for a catch. The India batter walks back for 13 off 9. Hemalatha comes in. The newcomer takes a single and Shafali hits it for a SIX! She hits it over deep mid wicket. And she follows it with a FOUR towards the covers. A single to end the over.

It’s Khushi Mohan Sharma with the ball, another pacer amongst the UAE ranks. Smriti goes for the big shot but misses it as the ball rolls to the wicketkeeper. It’s a SIX! As the commentators say that the swing and a miss wasn’t like Smriti, the India opener swings it well and sends the ball over the ropes for a maximum towards deep mid wicket. And she doesn’t stop with that. An elegant cover drive as the ball zooms past a diving UAE fielder for a FOUR! Shafali joins in as an untimed shot gets enough power to send the ball towards deep extra cover for a FOUR! An expensive over for UAE.

Shafali gets India going with a single. It’s Dharnidharka with the ball, swinging the ball ever so slightly. Smriti ends the over with a single.

It’s Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma on the crease.

A lot of UAE players have played the Indian domestic circuit before going on to ply their trade for the Middle East. Case in point.

India: 1 Shafali Verma, 2 Smriti Mandhana, 3 Dayalan Hemalatha, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (C), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Pooja Vastrakar, 9 Radha Yadav, 10 Renuka Singh, 11 Tanuja Kanwar

UAE: 1 Esha Rohit Oza (C), 2 Theertha Satish (wk), 3 Rinitha Rajith, 4 Samaira Dharnidharka, 5 Kavisha Egodage, 6 Khushi Sharma, 7 Heena Hotchandani, 8 Vaishnave Mahesh, 9 Rithika Rajith, 10 Lavanya Keny, 11 Indhuja Nandakumar

Pitch number 4 will be in use today. It’s a hard surface with some stray grass. It’s a dry wicket with cracks in the good length area. Spinners must be itching to bowl on this surface. It’s a hot afternoon in Dambulla but a lot of wind going around. A challenging day of cricket beckons. 

Esha Oza opts to field. She wants to try and use her bowling resources to restrict India. UAE going with the same XI. Harmanpreet says she was looking to bat first and says she is looking to go with the flow. She confirms a debut for Tanuja Kanwer

Tanuja Kanwer has been handed a debut cap. Brilliant news for the left-arm spinner and a good sign from India, which is choosing to experiment and rightly so. 

Know more about the sprightly bowler who was easily one of the best parts of the WPL 2024 campaign for Gujarat Giants. 

WPL 2024: Small height, big fight - Tanuja Kan(wer) and she did 

The coaches in the Giants set-up saw the value in investing in a player of such calibre and roped Kanwer in during the auction for Rs. 50 Lakh, an improvement on her Rs.10 Lakh base price.

India’s Shreyanka Patil has been ruled out of the Women’s Asia Cup after picking up an injury.

The 21-year-old off-spinner sustained a fracture to the fourth finger of her left hand, the Asian Cricket Council stated in a media release on Saturday.

Shreyanka was part of the team’s first game of the tournament against Pakistan on Friday, bowling 3.2 overs and picking up two wickets for 14.India recorded a seven-wicket win over Pakistan, completing the chase of 109 runs in 14.1 overs.

Tanuja Kanwar, the uncapped 26-year-old left-arm spinner who plays for Gujarat Giants in the WPL and Railways in domestic cricket, has been called up as replacement.

Lavanya Lakshminarayanan brings you a recap from day 2 where Thailand beat Malaysia and Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh

This will be only the second meeting between the two sides in the history of WT20Is. The last time they met, incidentally, was also in this tournament back in 2022.

In that match, India defeated UAE by 104 runs and Jemimah Rodrigues was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ courtesy her 45-ball unbeaten 75.

Dominant India will be eager to perfect its tactics further while warding off United Arab Emirates which also can push it firmly towards the semifinals of the women’s Asia Cup here on Sunday.

Defending champion India’s supremacy was evident in its facile seven-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday, and the UAE will require a giant-sized miracle to stop Harmanpreet Kaur’s side.

India currently has two points and a Net Run Rate of +2.29, and a win over the Emirates will take it to four points, which will also have a positive reflection on its NRR.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that India will look more inwards in its match against the UAE, than fretting over the rivals.

Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024: India eyes win over UAE to clinch semifinal berth

Dominant India will be eager to perfect its tactics further while warding off United Arab Emirates which also can push it firmly towards the semifinals of the women’s Asia Cup here on Sunday.

The 2024 ACC Women’s Asia Cup will be broadcast in India on the Star Sports Network. It will also be livestreamed on the Disney + Hotstar app. Fans outside India in select countries can catch the live coverage of the games on the Asian Cricket Council’s YouTube channel. 

India takes on UAE in its second Women’s Asia Cup fixture in Dambulla. Stay tuned for live updates