India 52 for 2 (Rodriguez 20*, Shabali 17) to win Bangladesh 51 all out (net 12, Vastrakar 4-17) by eight wickets
Vastragar’s initial incision
Nib-baggers, outswingers, hard lengths – Vastragar showed he was no one-trick pony as he got zipping with the new ball. In the very first over, he took two wickets off two different balls. Shadi Rani was caught driving an away-swinger off the first ball of the game and Shamima Sultana was caught lbw playing lbw.
In his next over, Vastrakar should have gone for third but Smriti Mandana hit a sitter at mid-off. Sobana Mostari managed just one more run before being dismissed for 8 in Wastragar’s third straight over inside the powerplay. And it’s almost an action replay. Mandhana looked at this carefully in her palm.
Run outs add to Bangladesh’s woes
Shot selection was not the only obstacle for Bangladesh. Their running between the wickets was equally poor and resulted in two run outs. One of Bangladesh’s most talented batsmen, Nigar Sultana, Devika Vaidya, got out trying a single run to extra cover at the swopped spot to hit straight at the bowler’s end.
Two balls later, Fahima Katun was run out without facing a ball, Ritu Moni hit a short third, where Kanika Ahuja hit it straight at the striker’s end. Khatun might have survived if he had dived; She didn’t. At 25 for the loss of 6 wickets, Bangladesh were in danger of not being able to sustain the overs. Nahida Akhter and Moni helped Bangladesh pass 50 in the 18th over as five of India’s bowlers finished between the wickets.
Rodríguez helps lead India back home
India’s chase was not without its own initial hurdles. Smriti Mandhana misjudged the line of her delivery and blew a leading edge for 7 runs. Then two steps away, Shafali Verma tried to force his way, especially against spin. , destroyed. Shafali was gently hit by the surface as the ball kept a little low as it crept through her legs to hit the stumps as she stepped into the line and looked to pull. Rodriguez used the spin with his patented touch game, using the pace of the bowlers to push the bowling into the gaps, scoring an unbeaten 20.