Women’s Asia Cup: India seek middle-order answers against Bangladesh

Seven-time champions India face Bangladesh in the Women’s Asia Cup semi-final, with a place in Sunday’s final at stake. India enter as favourites but remain concerned about middle-order instability, while Bangladesh will look to exploit any weakness and spring an upset

Dubai: Seven-time champions India will aim for having batting stability, especially in the middle-order, when they face a spirited Bangladesh in the Women’s Asia Cup semi-final, to be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

The winner of the clash will book their place in the title clash, to be played on Sunday. India have dominated Bangladesh in recent years by winning their last eight T20I meetings against them. But memories of the 2018 Asia Cup, where Bangladesh stunned India twice en route to a historic maiden title, including defeating them in the final, remain a clear reminder of their ability to disrupt the heavyweights.

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While India, the Group A toppers, enter the clash as firm favourites, their batting line-up has shown occasional vulnerability, something which Bangladesh, who finished second in Group B, will look to fully exploit.

A collapse of eight wickets for 46 runs against Thailand earlier in the tournament showed that middle-order issues are yet to be resolved. It is a concern that previously proved costly for India during their recent T20 World Cup campaign, where they failed to enter the semi-finals.

While Bangladesh have their own batting concerns to take care of, in-form pacer Marufa Akter has struck in her opening spell in every game of this tournament, and has an impressive economy rate of 3.27. Her ability to move the new ball will pose a direct threat to India’s top order of in-form Smriti Mandhana, the explosive Shafali Verma, and Pratika Rawal.

Pratika, filling in at number three for the injured Jemimah Rodrigues, has managed 36 runs across three innings at a strike rate of 109.09. The high-stakes semi-final presents her with a timely opportunity to make a defining contribution against Bangladesh.

Smriti also needs 69 more runs to become the all-time leading run-scorer in women’s T20Is, after having already become the top run-getter across in women’s international cricket and centuries list via hitting a memorable 124 against Hong Kong.

In Dubai’s spin-friendly conditions, India’s own bowling attack has been exceptional through their spinners, who have taken 21 wickets at a tournament-best average of 4.42. Left-arm spinner N Sree Charani has been particularly effective by taking 21 wickets across her last eight T20Is.

Teams batting first have won eight of the 12 matches played so far, and high evening temperatures exceeding 35 degrees celsius will add to the physical demands of the knockout clash, which will be decided by which batting order steps up to have a memorable day.

Key Details: 

When: Thursday, September 9, 8:00 PM IST

Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Where to watch: The match will be shown live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD channels on TV. Live-streaming will be available on Sony LIV app and website.

Squads

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), G Kamalini (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, N Sree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, and Pratika Rawal

Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (captain), Nahida Akter (vice-captain), Dilara Akter, Farjana Easmin, Juairiya Ferdous, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sarmin Sultana, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Sultana Khatun, and Shanjida Akther Maghla