India vs UAE Women’s Asia Cup Highlights: IND-W Defeats UAE-W by 78 Runs in Dambulla

India Dominates UAE in Women’s Asia Cup: Harmanpreet and Ghosh Lead IND-W to 78-Run Victory

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh starred for the Indian women’s cricket team, leading it to a resounding 78-run victory against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their Women’s Asia Cup T20 2024 Group A match. The game took place at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka on Friday, showcasing India’s dominance in women’s cricket.

Batting Brilliance

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, India, ranked No. 3 in the world, set a formidable total of 201 runs on the scoreboard. Exceptional half-centuries from Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh anchored this massive total. Harmanpreet, displaying her leadership and batting prowess, scored a commanding 66 off 47 balls. Her innings was marked by precision and power, guiding the team through the middle overs.

Richa Ghosh, the young prodigy, played a blistering knock of 64 runs off just 29 balls. Her aggressive batting, which included a flurry of boundaries towards the end of the innings, was instrumental in pushing India’s total past the 200-run mark. Shafali Verma also contributed significantly with a rapid 37 off 18 balls, giving India a flying start. The opening partnership and subsequent contributions from the middle order ensured India capitalized on the early momentum.

Disciplinary Bowling Performance

India’s bowling unit complemented the batting efforts with a disciplined and strategic performance. The UAE batters were restricted to 123/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Deepti Sharma emerged as the standout bowler, claiming two crucial wickets for just 23 runs. Her accurate and economical bowling put pressure on the UAE lineup, making it difficult for them to chase the daunting target.

Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar set the tone with early breakthroughs, while Tanuja Kanwar and Radha Yadav maintained the pressure throughout the innings. The Indian bowlers’ consistent line and length choked the flow of runs, ensuring that UAE never found the momentum needed to mount a serious challenge.

Semi-final Spot Secured

This victory was pivotal for India, as it consolidated their position in the semi-finals. Having already defeated Pakistan convincingly in their first game, India demonstrated their prowess and intent in the tournament. The win against UAE marked their second consecutive victory, bringing them closer to the knockout stages.

Match Recap

UAE skipper Esha Rohit Oza won the toss and opted to bowl first, aiming to capitalize on the early morning conditions. However, Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma made full use of the field restrictions, racing to a quick start. Mandhana’s departure while trying to maintain a brisk scoring rate did little to slow down the innings, as Shafali continued to play fearless cricket.

India reached 50 runs inside the first five overs, setting a solid foundation. Despite losing a couple of quick wickets, crucial partnerships involving Harmanpreet Kaur ensured India steered past the 200-run mark. Harmanpreet added 54 runs off 39 balls with Jemimah Rodrigues and followed it up with a 75-run stand off just 45 balls with Richa Ghosh.

Harmanpreet’s fifty came off 41 balls, while Richa Ghosh, showing maturity beyond her years, smashed five boundaries in a row to bring up her maiden T20 International fifty. Her aggressive finish propelled India to a commanding total.

Bowling Prowess

Indian bowlers maintained a tight grip on the match in the second innings. Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar’s early strikes left UAE struggling at 31/2 in the powerplay. Despite valiant efforts by UAE skipper Esha Rohit Oza (38 off 36) and Kavisha Egodage (40* off 32), the target proved insurmountable. UAE’s innings concluded at 123/7, falling well short of India’s total.

Deepti Sharma’s 2/23 was backed by contributions from Renuka Singh, Tanuja Kanwar, Pooja Vastrakar, and Radha Yadav, each taking a wicket. The collective effort ensured India maintained control and sealed a comprehensive win.

Summary of Scores

IND-W vs UAE-W Women’s Asia Cup T20 2024 scores: India 201/5 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 66, Richa Ghosh 64*, Shafali Verma 37; Kavisha Egodage 2/36) beat UAE 123/7 in 20 overs (Kavisha Egodage 40*; Deepti Sharma 2/23) by 78 runs.

This victory not only highlighted India’s dominance in the group stages but also set the tone for their upcoming matches as they aim for glory in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2024.