AMN

In Asia Cup women’s cricket, India advanced into finals with a comfortable win over Thailand in the first seminfinal match played at Sylhet in Bangladesh. This is the eighth time when India secured a place in the Asia Cup’s final. Chasing a target of 149 runs set by India, Thailand could manage only 74 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. For Thailand, both Naruemol Chaiwai and Nattaya Boochatham scored 21 runs each, as no other batter could reach the double-digit mark. For India, Deepti Sharma bagged three wickets, Rajeshwari Gayakwad scalped two and Renuka Singh, Sneh Rana and Shafali Verma took one wicket each.

Put in to bat first, India scored 148 runs in 20 overs with the help of Shafali Verma’s 42 and Harmanpreet Kaur’s 36 runs. Jemimah Rodrigues scored 27 runs. For Thailand, Sornnarin Tippoch scalped three wickets while Thipatcha Putthawong, Phannita Maya and Nattaya Boochatham claimed one wicket each. Shafali Verma was declared player of the match for her all-round performance.

In the second semifinal of the tournament underway at the same venue, Sri Lanka set a target of 123 runs for Pakistan. Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka scored 122 runs for the loss of six wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. For Sri Lanka, Harshitha Madavi scored 35 runs while Anushka Sanjeewani scored 26 runs.

The final will be played on 15th of this month between the winners of both the semi finals.