BAN-W vs IND-W

With that, the coverage of the first T20 comes to an end. India have taken a 1-0 lead and we have 4 more matches to go in the series. From here, it is Sourabh and Bidipto signing off, you can follow the IPL match going on between CSK and SRH while we scoot off. Ciao!

Harmanpreet Kaur (India Women captain) - Our bowlers did a great job, the score was not enough but they took the responsibility and gave us a win. As a batting group, we wanted to show intent. In the last 6 overs, things did not go our way but the first 14 overs we batted very well. The last few days helped us very much in understanding how we can play and what shots we can play. Hopefully, in the next match we can bat better in the last few overs. That is what we discussed as the score was not enough, to put pressure on the batters and on the field.

Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh Women captain): (On where her team lost it) I think we lost it in the power play. (On the positive) The top-order did not perform well. The way they began in the first innings, it looked as though 150 would be scored, so, we did well to restrict them to under that score. I know that we have a good batting unit, just that the potential isn't being realized at the moment. 

Renuka Thakur (India Women): It's been a long time since I've taken three wickets for India, so, I'm happy! Weather was quite pleasing when we started bowling, and the conditions were slightly better to bat on. So, tried to keep it stump-to-stump. This series will be a good preparation for the T20 World Cup, so, we will keep giving it out all in this series. 

MATCH SUMMARY

India Women won by 44 runs

Yastika Bhatia 36(29) | Renuka Thakur 3/18(3)
Nigar Sultana 51(48) | Rabiya Khan 3/24(4)

A comprehensive victory in the Indian women at the end as the Bangladesh batters did not turn up barring their captain. The visiting team  take the win and the lead of 1-0 in the 5 match T20I series.

It was a poor performance with the bat for the hosts as it looked like they were no match for the Indians who were clinical with the ball. Bangladesh kept on losing wickets right from the start and just did not stop.

Sultana, Bangladesh captain, held one up and was starved of any company out in the middle as she saw wickets fall left, right and center while she put on a valiant effort.

For the Indians, Renuka Thakur started the slide with 2 wickets to start off and eventually got 3 in the match. Every other bowler who bowled contributed to the wickets column and did not disappoint.

With the bat, India had contributions from a lot of batters with Yastuka Bhatia top-scoring with 36. Two other batters got out in the 30s and that would be a slight concern for the visitors who looked at one point good enough to go past 170.

Much credit, however, needs to go to the Bangladesh bowlers, Rabeya Khan specially who was the pick with 3 wickets. Marufa Akter got 2 wickets as well whereas the others bowled well too.

19.6 Pooja Vastrakar to Sultana Khatun, AND THAT IS VICTORY FOR INDIA! Full on off-and-middle. Sultana tried to drill that one out of the block hole but could not get it past the bowler. No run. 

19.4 Pooja Vastrakar to Marufa Akter, FREE HIT! Full on leg-stump. Driven to short extra cover by backing away, no run in the end for Marufa. 

19.4 Pooja Vastrakar to Marufa Akter, OH NO! NO BALL FOR HEIGHT! Full toss over the head of the batter. Marufa ducks and lets it go through to the keeper. 

19.2 Pooja Vastrakar to Nigar Sultana, CLEANED HER UP! OR IS IT? Back of a length on middle-and-leg. Nigar made room and hacked across the line. She did miss and got castled in the process but the umpire wants to check something here. Oh, it's the front foot of the bowler! Well, the replays show that Pooja is fine, but only just! Nigar has to make the long walk back, eventually. 

Nigar Sultana b Pooja Vastrakar 51 (48b, 5x4, 1x6).

19.1 Pooja Vastrakar to Nigar Sultana, over the wicket, yorker on middle-and-leg. Nigar digs this one out of the block hole and plays out a dot ball. 

Pooja Vastrakar [3.0-0-23-1] is back into the attack

Last over coming up and this should be a comfortable victory for India, they have done a commendable job in defending this target

18.6 Shreyanka Patil to Sultana Khatun, over the wicket, good length ball on off-stump. Tucked around off the back foot to the square-leg area, no run.