India into semi-finals of Women’s T20 Asia Cup

India’s Shafali Verma blitzed her way to 26-ball fifty against Nepal 

Opener Shafali Verma’s career best T20I score of 81 off 48 balls (12 fours, 1 six) saw defending champions India cruise into the final four of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup when they completed a comprehensive 82-run win against Nepal in their final Group A match played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

India rested regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar and a target of 179 was always going to prove too much for Nepal’s batters against an inform and experienced Indian attack. Nepal’s chase never got going as Arundhati Reddy (2/28), Deepti Sharma (3/13) and Radha Yadav (2/12) pushed them back so that ended with a total of 96-9.

India’s stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and opted to bat first. India promoted Dayalan Hemalatha to open with Player of the Match Verma, but she struggled to get going scoring 47 off 42 balls (5 fours, 1 six) out of an opening partnership of 122 off 14 overs. 

Sita Rana Magar, the experienced left-arm spinner, broke the stand and scalped one more to briefly halt India’s progress but Jemimah Rodrigues’ cameo at the end (28* off 15 balls, 5 fours) ensured India had enough on the board.

Scores: 

India Women 178-3 (20) (Shafali Verma 81, Dayalan Hemalatha 47, Jemimah Rodrigues 28*, Sita Rana Magar 2/25)

Nepal Women 96-9 (20) (Sita Rana Magar 18, Arundhati Reddy 2/28, Deepti Sharma 3/13, Radha Yadav 2/12)