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Team India continued their dominance at the ongoing women’s Asia Cup 2022 in Sylhet, registering a comprehensive 104-run victory over the UAE on Tuesday to make it three wins on the trot. Jemimah Rodrigues was the star of the show once again, as she was against Sri Lanka on Saturday, leading India’s batting alongside Deepti Sharma to set it up.
India, led by Smriti Mandhana in Harmanpreet Kaur’s absence, didn’t have the best of starts, with openers Sabbhineni Meghana and Richa Ghosh and two-drop Dayalan Hemalatha dismissed by the fifth over of the innings, leaving the side at 19/3.
Deepti and Rodrigues then combined for a 129-run fourth wicket stand, with the latter playing the aggressor in a brisk 75* off 45. Deepti was eventually dismissed for 64 off 49 in the 18th over, having struck five fours and two sixes, while Rodrigues’ stay featured 11 hits to the fence. Pooja Vastrakar (13 off 5) and Kiran Navgire (10* off 4) ensured that India finished strongly at 178/5.
The UAE didn’t have the best of starts either, as wicketkeeper Theertha Satish was runout in the very first over before left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gaikwad’s double strikes in the second reduced them to 5/3.
Kavisha Egodage and Khushi Sharma held their ends strong, but the scoring never quite gathered pace as the pair added 58 runs in 15.4 overs to put the prospect of a chase way out of reach. Hemalatha dismissed Sharma late in the innings, that was limited to 74/4 in the allotted 20 overs.
The win helped India overtake Pakistan to claim the top position in the points table, while UAE are placed sixth among seven teams after two defeats from as many matches.
Brief scores
India 178/5 in 20 overs (Rodrigues 75*, Deepti 64; Mahika Gaur 1-27) beat UAE 74/4 in 20 overs (Kavisha 30*, Sharma 29; Gayakwad 2-20) by 104 runs
Earlier, Sri Lanka defeated Thailand by 49 runs to register their second straight win. The platform was laid by Harshitha Madavi after the Sri Lankans opted to bat, with the opener dominating a 63-run first-wicket stand from 8.3 overs with skipper Chamari Aththapathu (12 off 18). Athapaththu and Hasini Perera fell in quick succession, but Madavi found support in Nilakshi de Silva in a 61-run partnership for the third wicket.
Madavi eventually fell for 81 off 69, striking 10 fours, while de Silva remained unbeaten at 39 off 21 as two more wickets fell in the final over. De Silva’s innings, studded with three fours and two sixes, ensured that Sri Lanka finished 156/5 in 20 overs.
Opener Nannapat Koncharoenkai scored 25 off 21 for Thailand, but no other batter could score freely as the required rate climbed up progressively. Chanida Sutthiruang (37* off 42) was the other mainstay in a combined effort of 107/5. Right-arm quick Achini Kulasuriya returned 2/19 for Sri Lanka, while Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera and Kavisha Dilhari bagged a wicket each.
Sri Lanka sit third in the points table with two wins from three matches, while Thailand, having lost both, are placed fifth.
UAE Women will take on Malaysia Women on Wednesday.
Brief scores
Sri Lanka 156/5 in 20 overs (Madavi 81, De Silva 39*; Putthawong 2-26) beat Thailand 107/5 in 20 overs (Sutthiruang 37*; Kulasuriya 2-19) by 49 runs.
