Women’s CWC: India triumph in must-win game against Bangladesh to stay alive for spot in SF

Hamilton [New Zealand], March 22 (ANI): India women’s team beat Bangladesh by 110 runs in a must-win game to secure their third victory in six matches here at Seddon Park to stay alive for a place in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup’s semi-final.
Defending 230-run target Indian bowlers Jhulan Goswami and Rajeshwari Gayakwad bowled a tight line to choke the flow of runs and that put Bangladesh batters under pressure and they lost the wicket of opener Sharmin Akhter caught by Sneh Rana of Gayakwad’s bowling at the score of 12.
In the space of three runs, Bangladesh lost another wicket as Pooja Vastrakar dismissed Fargana Hoque for an 11-ball duck to leave their side in trouble at 15 for 2.
Captain Nigar Sultana walked in to bat but she too was sent packing by Sneh Rana caught by Harmanpreet Kaur for 3 as Bangladesh was in further trouble at 28 for 3.
Opener Murshida Khatun who was losing partners at the other end also lost her wicket for 19 dismissed by Poonam Yadav caught by Harmanpreet Kaur who took her second catch of the match to leave Bangladesh tottering at 31 for 4.
Sneh Rana got her second scalp as she dismissed Rumana Ahmed for 2 caught by Yastika Bhatia with Bangladesh losing half of its side for 35 runs.
Bangladesh team desperately needed a partnership and Salma Khatun and Lata Mondal took their team’s total beyond the 50-run mark. But the 40-run partnership was broken by experienced Jhulan Goswami who dismissed Salma Khatun for 32 caught by wicket-keeper Yastika Bhatia to leave Bangladesh at 75 for 6.
Lata Mondal was joined by Ritu Moni and the duo struck a 23-run partnership to take Bangladesh’s total to 98. Lata became the second victim of Vastrakar as she was dismissed for 24.
Bangladesh team scratched their way to triple-figure mark and at the score of 100, they lost their eighth wicket in the form of Fahima Khatun who was dismissed leg before wicket by Sneh Rana.
In her next over Sneh Rana got her fourth wicket of the match dismissing Nahida Akhter caught and bowled for a nine-ball duck to leave Bangladesh with very little hope at 104 for 9.
Veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami delivered the final nail in the coffin for Bangladesh as she cleaned up Ritu Moni for 16 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 119 in 40.3 overs as India registered a 110-run win to register their third win of the tournament in six matches.
Earlier in the day India captain Mithali Raj won the toss and decided to bat first where the women’s in blue got off to a flying start as openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana batted aggressively to take India’s total to 50-run mark in 10 overs without losing a wicket.
The Indian team was going strong at the score of 74 in the 15th over with Nahida Akter dismissing southpaw Smriti Mandhana for 30 from 51 balls. In the next opener, Shafali Verma too was dismissed as he was stumped by Bangladesh wicket-keeper Nigar Sultana off Ritu Moni’s bowling. In the very next ball captain, Mithali Raj was dismissed for a golden duck caught in the covers by Fahima Khatun off Ritu Moni’s bowling to leave India from 74 for no loss to 74 for 3.
Centurion in the game against West Indies Harmanpreet Kaur walked in to bat along with Yastika Bhatia took India’s total beyond the triple-figure mark in 25th over.
The 34-run partnership was broken as Harmanpreet Kaur was run out by Fargana Hoque for 14 to leave India in a spot of bother at 108/4 in 28th over.
The previous edition finalist desperately needed a partnership and Yastika Bhatia and wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh struck a partnership to take the team’s total beyond the 150-run mark. The 54-run partnership was broken as keeper Nigar Sultana stumped Richa Ghosh for 26 as half of the Indian side was back to the pavilion with 162 runs on the board.
Yastika Bhatia continued with her rich run of form as she notched up a second consecutive half-century. Immediately after that Yastika was out caught at short fine leg by Nahida Akter of Ritu Moni’s bowling for 50 off 80 balls at 176 for 6.
Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana took the team’s total beyond the 200-run mark in 47th over. Rana was dismissed by Jahanara Alam in the final over for 27 off 23 balls hitting two boundaries. Pooja Vastrakar’s unbeaten 30 took India’s total to 229 in 50 overs setting a target of 230 for Bangladesh.
Brief Scores: India 229/7 in 50 overs (Yastika Bhatia 50, Shafali Verma 42;Ritu Moni 3/37 ) vs Bangladesh 119/10 in 40.3 overs (Salma Khatun 32; Sneh Rana 4/30). (ANI)