Lanka deflated by Radha’s haul, Shafali fireworks
MELBOURNE:SPINNER Radha Yadav flummoxed the rival batting line-up with a career-best 4/23 before Shafali Verma’s blistering 34-ball 47 powered India to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup here on Saturday.
Opting to to bat, Sri Lanka were restricted to a modest 113 for nine in their final Group A match with left-arm spinner Radha (4/23) running through the rivals’ batting line-up, including claiming the prized scalp of skipper Chamari Atapattu.
Shafali, then, top-scored as India chased down the target in just 14.4 overs.
The win meant India entered the semi-finals with an all-win record. This was India’s fourth successive victory in the tournament as the Harmanpreet Kaurled side consolidated their position on top of the group with eight points.
The 16-year-old Shafali, who was dropped twice in the second and fourth overs, hit seven fours and a six but was unable to reach her maiden fifty for the second time in the tournament, getting run out in the 11th over.
She had scored 46 against New Zealand in her previous outing.
Kaur and opener Smriti Mandhana again squandered their good starts, departing for 15 and 17, respectively.
Mandhana mistimed the ball to Kavisha Dilhari in the fifth over while the skipper departed while trying to clear the long on fielder in the 10th over.
For Sri Lanka, Udeshika Prabodhani (1/13) and Shashikala Siriwardene (1/42)picked up a wicket each, before Jemimah Rodrigues (15) and Deepti Sharma (15) sealed the win.
Earlier, Sri Lanka were dealt a blow when opener Umesha Thimashini (2) tried to go for a big shot off a Deepti Sharma delivery, only to be caught by Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the third over.
In-from skipper Atapattu (33) continued to attack, hitting five fours and a six, and stitched a 30-run partnership with Harshitha Madavi (12).
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However, left-arm spinner Gayakwad tightened the screws in the eighth over, bowling a wicket maiden while dismissing Madavi.
The introduction of Radha in the ninth over worked as immediately after hitting a six over deep wicket, the Sri Lankan captain was caught at square leg.
Sri Lanka then suffered a batting collapse as Radha accounted for Hansima Karunaratne (7) and Hasini Perera (7) in her next over. She also dismissed wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani (1).
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 113/9 in 20 overs (C Athapaththu 33, K Dilhari 25, R Yadav 4/23) lost to India 116/3 in 14.4 overs (S Verma 47, S Mandhana 17, U Prabodhani 1/13) by seven wkts
KIWIS SALVAGE WIN
New Zealand salvaged a remarkable 17-run victory over Bangladesh on Saturday to set up a crunch clash against defending champions Australia for a place in the semi-finals.
Coming off a narrow loss to India, the White Ferns won the toss and opted to bat on a slow Junction Oval pitch in Melbourne.
But after reaching 66 for two they collapsed to 91 all out, as Ritu Moni grabbed a tournament-best 4-18 with back-up from fine fielding.
A first World Cup victory for Bangladesh since 2014 was within reach, but they blew the chance with sloppy batting and poor running between the wicket seeing them bundled out for 74.
“Obviously nowhere near what we wanted to post today, but Bangladesh were fantastic, they put us under pressure on a really difficult wicket,” said New Zealand captain Sophie Devine.
Good line and length from the Bangladesh bowlers restricted openers Devine and Rachel Priest to just 23 from the first five overs.
The runs started flowing but Devine fell to spinner Salma Khatun on 12 while trying to force the pace. Priest soon followed, leg before for 25, to leave them under pressure at 40 for two in the ninth over.
Experienced Suzie Bates’ departure for 15 sparked a collapse, with the rest of the wickets falling for just 25 runs.
Brief scores: New Zealand 91 all out in 18.2 overs (R Priest 25, S Bates 15, R Moni 4/18) bt Bangladesh 74 all out in 19.5 overs (N Sultana 21, M Khatun 11, H Jensen 3/11) by 17 runs