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Spinners rout Bangladesh, India take T20I series 2-0
Spinners Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma together ensured a home batting collapse that saw five wickets fall in the last eight balls.
India wouldn’t have dreamt of such a stunning turnaround, even though almost anything in possible in T20 cricket. After restricting India to 95/8 in the second T20 tie in Mirpur on Tuesday, hosts Bangladesh seemed on course to overhaul the modest target. That is until a manic batting collapse which led to an eight-run win for the visitors.
At 86/5, with 10 runs to get off the last eight deliveries, and with Nigar Sultana unbeaten on 38, it appeared Bangladesh would win and level the three-match series. That was when the sensational tumble was triggered, the last five wickets falling in the eight deliveries left, with no run added. Bangladesh were 87 all out, handing India an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
It started with Deepti Sharma getting the set Sultana stumped by Yastika Bhatia. Facing 55 balls and hitting just two fours in the only innings to touch double figures – India though conceded 15 wides – the dismissal could not have come at a more crucial time for India.
Deepti Sharma finished with 3/12 and Shafali, warming up as a useful off-break bowler herself, snapped up three in the final over, which saw four wickets fall. Needing 10 runs to win, Nahida Akter attempted a second run after playing to midwicket, but Amanjot Kaur’s throw to bowler Shafali caught Rabeya Khan short of the crease.
Next ball, Nahida charged out, only to hole out to Harleen Deol at long on as Bangladesh’s winning chances suddenly began to dim. Next ball, Fatima Khatun missed an attempted scoop as the equation got to 10 runs off three balls. The next ball, Fatima top-edged and Shafali takes the catch, though Yastika Bhatia rushes towards it.
Shafali sealed victory the next ball after Marufa Akter played and missed outside off-stump. She stepped out to the last delivery, only to be beaten and stumped. Shafali finished with 3/15.
Indian openers Shafali (19) and Smriti Mandhana (13) put on 33 runs, but Bangladesh spinners then took over, bowling 16 overs and sharing seven of the eight wickets to fall. Deepti Sharma (10) -- she was chosen the Player-of-the-Match -- and Amanjot (14) added vital runs at No.7 and 8 to push India’s total towards 100.
Skipper Nigar Sultana was the only Bangladesh batter to show resistance as Indian spinners bowled 19 overs and were impressive.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur also used another part-timer in Jemimah Rodrigues. It was off-spinner Minnu Mani, playing only her second T20 international, who was the most economical (4-1-9-2). She helped slow down the Bangladesh batters. Besides taking two wickets, she also bowled a maiden over.
“We did not score a big total. So, the bowlers had to do well and make a match out of it. We had planned to get them out for 60 runs. I was backing myself and the captain also backed me to do well and get wickets for India,” Shafali Verma after the game.
Harmanpreet had said at the toss that India hoped to score 150 runs and put pressure on the hosts. When the openers started well, it seemed possible, only for a batting collapse to follow.
Verma was in an attacking mood, hitting four fours before falling to seasoned spinner Sultana Khatun. Harmanpreet, who hit an unbeaten 54 in the previous game, was bowled first ball as Sultana was on a hat-trick.
Bangladesh spinners were on the spot, never allowing the India batters to settle down. Jemimah Rodrigues took 21 balls to score eight runs and Harleen Deol 21 to make six.
"It is always important to bounce back. In the second innings we showed our character. Our bowlers were under pressure but did well. In this series we have a couple of young bowlers who are going to take responsibility. It is important for us to trust them," Kaur said.
“Our bowlers did well to restrict India. I should have ended the game,” bemoaned Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana.
