Shafali, Deepti fire India into sixth straight Women's Asia Cup final with 40-run win
India's women beat Bangladesh by 40 runs in the first semi-final of the Women's T20 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday night, 10 September, to reach the final for the sixth time in six editions of the tournament. Shafali Verma's 64 off 40 balls set up a total of 149 for 6, and Deepti Sharma's 3 for 26 helped bowl Bangladesh out for 109, according to the ICC and ESPNcricinfo.
India remain unbeaten in the tournament and will play the winner of the second semi-final between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the final on Sunday, 13 September.
Shafali makes the most of her luck
Batting first, India were held in check early by Bangladesh's bowlers before Shafali took charge. ESPNcricinfo reported that she was dropped on 6, 11, 50 and 56 and made Bangladesh pay for each reprieve, hitting the boundaries that carried India past 100. Richa Ghosh and captain Harmanpreet Kaur added runs in the middle order, and Deepti Sharma finished the innings with an unbeaten 13 off five balls, including a late flurry that pushed the total to 149.
The total looked competitive rather than commanding, but on a surface that offered grip for the spinners it proved more than enough.
Spin closes the door
Bangladesh's chase never gained momentum. The ICC reported that opener Dilara Akter and Juairiya Ferdous made early contributions but that the required rate climbed above 10 an over as India's spinners tightened their grip. The innings turned in a passage where Bangladesh lost three wickets for 17 runs in 15 balls: captain Nigar Sultana was caught at short third, and Deepti bowled Sharmin Akhter to leave the side at 83 for 5 in the 16th over, ESPNcricinfo reported.
Deepti finished with 3 for 26 and now has 11 wickets in the tournament, the most by any bowler, at an average of 3.63, according to the ICC. Nandani Sharma sealed the win by taking two wickets off the last two deliveries of the innings as Bangladesh were bowled out for 109.
A familiar destination
India have contested every Women's T20 Asia Cup final and have won the title in most of them, and their route to this year's decider has been untroubled. The semi-final win also serves as a form check ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where the Indian women's team will defend the gold it won at Hangzhou in 2023.
What happens next
India will meet Sri Lanka or Pakistan in Sunday's final in Dubai. The team management will be looking at the catching and the slow start with the bat, both of which Bangladesh exposed without being able to capitalise. A seventh Asia Cup title is within reach.