Sylhet. India topped the seven-team group league stage with six overs to spare after bowling out Thailand for just 37 runs in their final group match of the Women’s Asia Cup here on Monday. This is India’s fifth win in six matches. The team’s only defeat was in a low-scoring match against arch-rivals Pakistan.
India have 10 points from six matches and are expected to make the semi-finals along with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and one each from Thailand and Bangladesh. Bangladesh have one match left and will only need to win it to make it to the last four as their net rain rate is better than Thailand. Bangladesh’s net run rate is plus 0.423 while Thailand’s minus is 0.949.
India’s stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to field after which Thailand’s inexperienced batsmen struggled to score runs on a suitable bowling pitch. The difference between the two teams was such that Thailand’s team could only manage 37 runs before being dismissed in the 16th over. For Thailand, only Nanapat Koncharoenkei (12) could reach double digits. The second best score for the team came from Nataya Bouchatham, who scored seven runs. The 13-run opening partnership between Nanapat and Natkan Chantham (06) was the best partnership for the team. India’s spin trio did not give any chance to the Thailand batsmen. Off-spin bowlers Sneh Rana (3 for 9) and Deepti Sharma (2 for 10) and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gaikwad (2 for 8) kept the run-rate in check. Meghna Singh also took a wicket but Pooja Vastrakar did not get any wicket. India in reply scored 40 runs for one wicket in six overs from the innings of openers S Meghna (20 not out) and Pooja (12 not out). Pooja was sent higher up the batting order to give her time to bat.
After the match, Smriti said that congratulations to all the girls for making my 100th T20 International special. She said that I would not say that the opposing team was weak. Thailand played good cricket but our bowlers didn’t give them any chance. Sneh Rana, who was adjudged the player of the match, said that such a win gives confidence and we will definitely do well in the semi-finals.
