Bowlers shine as India beat Thailand in Women’s Asia Cup

Deepti Sharma, Nandani Sharma and Shree Charani shone with the ball as Indian eves defeated a gritty Thailand by 94 runs in their Women’s Asia Cup match in Dubai.

After setting a target of 160, India skittled out Thailand for 65 to begin their campaign with a victory before the high-octane match against Pakistan on Sept. 5.

Though India won the match comprehensively against minnows Thailand, it was a wake-up call for the seven-time Asian champions, who faced a batting collapse.

Chasing, Thailand failed to get off to a good start and kept on losing the wickets at regular intervals. Deepti stole the show as she took three wickets, conceding just one run.

None of the Thai batters could reach the double-digit figure except Nannapat Koncharoenkai, who scored a fighting 41. Thailand could manage to muster only 65, out of which 41 came from Koncharoenkai. After Deepti and Charani removed the top order of Thailand, Nandani wiped out the tail with three scalps.

Earlier, Thailand spinners staged a miraculous comeback to restrict a high-flying India to 159/9.

Suleeporn Laomi led the Thai fightback with a magical figure of 3/26. She was supported by Sunida Chaturongattarana, who claimed two wickets.

They were facilitated by excellent fielding. So fierce was the collapse that mighty Indians lost nine wickets within a span of 46 runs.

Even after losing the wicket of Smriti off a runout, India were looking set for a total of 200 plus.

After the departure of Smriti, Shefali and Pratika Rawal added 53 runs for the second wicket to the score to 91/1.

Thai bowlers were looking clueless as India were racing towards a huge total. Laomi rattled the stumps of Rawal to give Thailand a breakthrough which they were seeking.

It brought a reprieve in the Thai camp. The dismissal of Rawal proved to be a springboard for Thai bowlers. It triggered one of the most unexpected collapses in the history of Women’s Asia Cup.

Thai bowlers ripped through the Indian middle-order which broke many myths. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was taken by Maya off Putthawong.

Laomi picked Shefali and Richa Ghosh in successive deliveries to push India on the backfoot completely.

Laomi caught Shefali off her own bowling before Richa holed out to Putthawong on the next ball.

Shefali scored a fighting 64 off 36 balls, hitting eight boundaries and three sixes.

After that India kept on losing the wickets at regular intervals and failed to get the partnership going.

Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Nandani Sharma and Shree Charani failed to reach the two-digit mark. At one stage, India were reeling at 137/9 in 17 overs.

A late blitz by Kranti Goud took India past the 150-run mark to give them a psychological advantage.

India lost nine wickets, out of which eight went to spinners and one was a runout.

Earlier, Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shefali Verma gave a blazing start. Smriti was classy as always. She flicked the second delivery, which was drifting down the leg, for a four. She pulled the next delivery for another boundary before capping the over with the third off a cover drive.

Smriti smashed three boundaries in the first over, hitting three different shots but the result was the same every time.

Thailand took away the pacer and brought spinners on the attack. After the first over, it was evident that there was no help for the pacers on the wicket.

Shefali welcomed Putthawong with a boundary. She got to the pitch off a flighted delivery and lifted it over the longoff. She again used her feet and played it over the covers.

Indian batters were cruising along nicely without any wobble. They looked set and in control. Thai bowlers were looking for some solution at least to check the flow of runs if not taking a wicket.

When Indian eves were looking in full control of the match, they lost the wicket of Mandhana through a runout. Shefali wanted to take two and there was a mixup which resulted in Mandhana’s dismissal.