India women romp past Bangladesh in 1st T20I in Mirpur
India finished the chase of 115 with 22 balls to spare thanks to their skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's quickfire 54* off just 35 balls. She added a decisive 70 off 55 deliveries with Smriti Mandhana to almost seal the deal for the touring side.
Bangladesh women's cricket team's return to the Mirpur Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) after 11 years was a forgettable one as visitors India registered a thumping seven-wicket win in the first T20I of the three-match series.
India finished the chase of 115 with 22 balls to spare thanks to their skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's quickfire 54* off just 35 balls. She added a decisive 70 off 55 deliveries with Smriti Mandhana to almost seal the deal for the touring side.
Defending 114, Bangladesh got off to the best possible start with the ball with fast bowler Marufa Akter getting rid of the hard-hitting Shafali Verma (0 off 3). The slowness of the Mirpur pitch led to the undoing of Jemimah Rodrigues (11 off 14). India suddenly found themselves in a spot of bother at 21 for two in the fourth over.
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Harmanpreet and Mandhana (38 off 34) then weathered the storm with the former playing the aggressor in the partnership.
After Mandhana's fall, Harmanpreet finished things off in a hurry, notably hitting a six and a four off Salma Khatun and in the process bringing up her half-century.
Earlier, the India skipper won the toss and chose to field first. Sent in, Bangladesh lost opener Shamima Sultana (17 off 13) who looked in good nick. Shathi Rani, one of the three debutants in the match, added 25 off 23 with Sobhana Mostary as the hosts continued at around six runs per over.
Shathi hit four boundaries in her 26-ball-22 getting dismissed in the ninth over. Captain Nigar Sultana joined Sobhana when the Tigresses needed someone to accelerate. But Sobhana sold her captain down the river and Bangladesh were three down for 57 in the 11th over.
The home side lacked boundaries in the middle overs. There was only one boundary between the 8th to 16th over and it hurt them big time. Shorna Akter, who impressed one and all with her big-hitting, overcame a slow start and hit two maximums in the 17th and 18th over to take the score to 114 for five. She was unbeaten on 28.
