Spinners and captain Harmanpreet gave India an easy win over Bangladesh

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur started the new international season with a half-century (54 not out) as the Indian women’s team registered a comfortable seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first T20 International here on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Took. Indian spinners took full advantage of the conditions and allowed Bangladesh to score 114 runs for five wickets. After this, Harmanpreet (35 balls, six fours, two sixes) and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (38 runs in 34 balls) added 70 runs for the third wicket to achieve the target in 16.2 overs. Harmanpreet took full advantage of the two lives she got off the bowling of left-arm spinner Nahida Akhtar. Mandhana also hit five fours during her innings.

India won the toss and decided to bowl, after which the brilliant performance of its bowlers did not make the batsmen break a sweat in achieving this easy target. Opener Shafali Verma, however, got out lbw due to poor footwork. Jemima Rodrigues (11 runs) was bowled by Sultana Khatoon’s off break ball. After which Harmanpreet and Mandhana led the team towards an easy victory. Yastika Bhatia came to the crease after Mandhana’s dismissal, who scored 09 not out. Earlier, the spin attack led by the experienced Deepti Sharma (14 runs in four overs) executed skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s plan very well. In the spin department, Anusha Bareddi (24 runs in four overs) and Meenu Mani (one wicket for 21 runs in three overs) supported them well.

Barring a six by Bangladesh’s top-scorer Sorna Akhtar (28 off 28 balls), leg-spinner Shefali Verma (1/18 in three overs) also bowled well. The Bangladeshi batsmen found it difficult due to the tactics of the Indian bowlers. Debutant Mani took her first wicket in the form of Shamima Sultana (17 runs) who was caught at square leg by Jemimah Rodrigues in an attempt to play a sweep shot. Pooja Vastrakar then dismissed Shathi Rani (22 runs) with a short ball. Experienced Nigar Sultana (02) was run out, then Shefali took the wicket of Shobhana Mostri (23 off 33 balls). Bangladesh played 62 dot balls which is more than half their innings. His innings had eight fours and three sixes. Of this, two were planted by Sorna, due to which the team was able to cross the 100-run mark.