All-round India continue winning run in Women's Asia Cup, beat UAE by 78 runs

Dambulla [Sri Lanka], July 21 (ANI): Team India continued their winning run in the Women's Asia Cup as an all-round performance, particularly knocks from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh helped them secure a 78-run win over UAE in their Group A match at Dambulla on Sunday. India is at the top of Group A, with two wins in two matches. UAE is at the bottom, having lost both of their matches so far. In the run-chase, UAE was off to a slow start as they struggled against the pace of Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar. Theertha Satish was removed by Pooja for four runs in 12 balls, with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur taking the catch. UAE was 11/1 in 4.2 overs.

Esha Oza tried to show some intent, smashing Renuka for a four. However, Rinitha Rajith was clean bowled by Vastrakar for just seven in three balls. UAE was 24/2 in 5.2 overs. At the end of six overs, UAE was 31/2, with Samaira Dharnidharka (2*) and Esha (18*) unbeaten. The partnership for the third wicket could not last long either, as Samaira hit a delivery by Deepti Sharma to Tanuja Kanwar at midwicket. She was gone for just five runs, with the UAE at 36/3 in 7.3 overs.

Esha was looking good out in the middle, hitting some clean boundaries, one of which helped UAE reach the 50-run mark in 8.5 overs. Halfway through the innings, UAE was 67/3, with Kavisha Egodage (12*) and Esha (35*) unbeaten.

Tanuja put an end to a 40-run stand between Kavish and Esha, removing the latter for 38 in 36 balls, with five fours and a six. UAE was 76/4 in 12.3 overs.

Spinners started to dominate the game for India. Radha Yadav got Khushi Sharma caught by Smriti Mandhana for 10 in 13 balls at extra cover, while Deepti got her second wicket by removing Heena Hotchandani for just eight runs. UAE was 110/6 in 17.4 overs. UAE had crossed the 100-run mark in 16.1 overs.

UAE ended their innings at 123/7 in their 20 overs, with Rithika Rajith run out for six runs on the final ball. India won the game by 78 runs. Kavisha ended up unbeaten at 40 in 32 balls, with three fours and a six.

Deepti (2/23) was the pick of the bowlers for India. Renuka, Tanuja, Pooja and Radha got a wicket each.

UAE won the toss and elected to field first. After putting India to bat first, they seemed to be off a bad start, as openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Varma punished Khushi Sharma in the second over by hitting two fours and a six, taking 15 runs in total.

However, Kavisha Egodage gave the UAE their first breakthrough, removing Mandhana for 13 in nine balls, with a four and six, with Rinitha Rajith taking a catch at mid-off. India was 23/1 in 2.2 overs.

India's scoring rate did not really change after Mandhana's dismissal, with Shafali continuing to punish Kavisha and Samaira Dharnidharka. With a powerful boundary by her, India reached the 50-run mark in 4.2 overs.

However, Samaira had the last laugh, ending Shafali's fine knock by getting her caught behind by wicketkeeper-batter Theertha Satish for 37 in 18 balls, with five fours and a six. India was 52/2 in five overs.

At the end of six overs, India was in a slight spot of bother as after a wicket-taking over from Heena Hotchandani, which had the dismissal of Dayalan Hemalatha, India was 56/3, with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (1*) and Jemimah Rodrigues (3*) unbeaten.

Harmanpreet and Rodrigues put on a fine partnership, taking India to 87/3 halfway through their innings.

Kavisha ended the 54-run stand between them by removing Jemimah for 14 in 13 balls. India was 106/4 in 11.4 overs.

Kaur was joined by Richa Ghosh, the wicketkeeper-batter. Richa eased off some pressure by hitting Esha Oza for four boundaries in the 15th over. India was 143/4, with Kaur (42*) and Richa (31*) unbeaten.

India reached the 150-run mark in 16.2 overs.

Kaur reached her half-century in 41 balls, with five fours and in the next over, she got 17 runs from Samaira's over, including two fours and a six.

The 75-run partnership between the duo ended with Harmanpreet dismissed for 66 in 47 balls, with seven fours and a six after an unfortunate run out. India was 181/5 in 19.1 overs.

Richa went ballistic in the final over, smashing Hotchandani for five successive fours. She reached her maiden T20I fifty in 26 balls, with nine fours and a six and India ended at 201/5, with Richa (64*) and Pooja Vastrakar (0*) unbeaten.

Kavisha (2/36) was the pick of the bowlers for UAE.

Brief Scores: India: 201/5 (Harmanpreet Kaur 66, Richa Ghosh 64*, Kavisha Egodage 2/36) beat UAE: 123/7 (Kavisha Egodage 40*, Esha Rohit Oza 38, Deepti Sharma 2/23). (ANI)