India produced another commanding performance in a rain-interrupted game against Bangladesh, securing a 56-run victory in Sylhet on Monday. This triumph extended their lead to 4-0 in the five-match T20I series. India posted 122/6 in a 14-over game, and Bangladesh, chasing a revised target of 125 (DLS method), managed only 68/7, succumbing to yet another defeat.
Bangladesh handed a debut to a 14-year-old, Habiba Islam Pinky, but she failed to make a significant impact, conceding 20 runs without a wicket. Conversely, India’s 33-year-old debutant, Asha Sobhana, impressed with figures of 2-18 from three overs.
Dilara Akter struck a couple of boundaries in the opening overs of the chase, but India tightened their grip, conceding only 21 runs in the powerplay and dismissing Murshida Khatun. India continued to restrict boundary opportunities, with Akter and Rubya Haider struggling to score freely, increasing Bangladesh’s required rate to 89 off seven overs.
The sustained pressure from India resulted in a flurry of wickets, with Deepti Sharma, Sobhana, and Radha Yadav all contributing. Bangladesh slumped to 47/6 in the 11th over and could only muster 21 more runs, losing one more wicket as India’s dominance was firmly established.
Earlier, India lost Shafali Verma early after being asked to bat, but Dayalan Hemalatha provided a positive start with a quick-fire 22. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur were at the crease when rain interrupted play during the powerplay.
After the resumption, India lost a few wickets in their pursuit of quick runs, but cameos from Mandhana (22), Richa Ghosh (24), and Harmanpreet Kaur (39) propelled them to a competitive total of 122/6, which proved more than sufficient against Bangladesh.
Brief Scores: India 122/6 in 14 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 39, Richa Ghosh 24; Marufa Akter 2-24) beat Bangladesh 68/7 in 14 overs (Dilara Akter 21; Deepti Sharma 2-13, Asha Sobhana 2-18) by 56 runs (DLS method).
