Tigresses end India T20I series on a high with 4-wicket win
They needed 15 off the last three overs to win and a wayward over from debutant Rashi Kanojiya that yielded 13 helped the hosts seal the deal
Bangladesh women's team missed a golden opportunity on Tuesday as they fell short in a battle of nerves against their Indian counterparts. But a couple of days later, they didn't make the same mistake and successfully chased down a tricky target with 10 balls in hand.
The four-wicket win was only Bangladesh's third win in T20Is against India.
Chasing 103, Bangladesh lost two of their top three as early as in the fourth over. The hosts needed a partnership to keep the chase on track. Opener Shamima Sultana added 46 off 8.1 overs with Nigar Sultana who took the backseat in the partnership.
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Nigar (14 off 20) and Shorna Akter (2 off 7) fell in quick succession, leaving the hosts in a spot of bother again at 69 for four after 14. At that point, they required a tricky 34 off six overs.
Sultana Khatun hit two boundaries in her cameo of 12 off eight. Shamima, who played the anchor role for Bangladesh, was run out in the 17th over to give India some hope. She made 42 off 46.
They needed 15 off the last three overs to win and a wayward over from debutant Rashi Kanojiya that yielded 14 helped the hosts seal the deal with balls to spare.
Bangladesh spinners again had the visitors in trouble. Bangladesh captain Nigar deployed five spinners and everyone chipped in with wickets. Bangladesh sent back both the Indian openers - Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma - inside four overs. In-form skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues steadied the ship after the early jolt with a 45-run partnership before the latter fell for 28 off 26.
Wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia added 26 with Harmanpreet and it was the last substantial partnership before a flurry of wickets in the slog overs halted India's progress. The Indian captain top-scored with 40 off 41 balls.
Leg-spinner Rabeya Khan was the pick of the bowlers, recording a three-wicket haul giving away only 16 runs off four overs. Sultana Khatun bowled well as well, accounting for the wickets of the openers.
