India women produced an all-round effort to spank Bangladesh women by nine wickets in a Super Six match to qualify for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, in Colombo on Friday.
Opting to bowl after winning the toss in the Super Six game of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, Indian eves first restricted Bangladesh women to a paltry 155 for eight in 50 overs and then chased down the target, reaching 158 for one in 33.3 overs to book a berth in the main event to be held in England in June.
The chase turned out to be a cakewalk for Indian eves with opener Mona Meshram (78 not out off 91 balls) and skipper Mithali Raj (73 not out off 87 balls) hitting fluent fifties to get over the target with consummate ease.
However, India didn’t have the best of starts to their chase losing Deepti Sharma early on. She was caught off her own bowling by right-arm off-spinner Khadija Tul Kubra.
But then came in Mithali, world’s second-highest run-getter in women’s cricket, and she and Mona hit 22 fours between them to leave Bangladesh in dissaray.
Bangladesh now have no option but to beat Sri Lanka women and surpass it’s net run-rate, in its last game to keep its World Cup aspirations alive.
Besides India, South Africa is the other team to have secured its place in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.
Unbeaten so far in the tournament, India will next play Pakistan in their final Super Six game on February 19 at the P Sara Oval.
Earlier, Fargana Hoque (50 off 107 balls) scored a half-century for Bangladesh women while opener Sharmin Akhter made 35 to help get past 150-run mark after being invited to bat.
For Indian women, pacer Mansi Joshi (3/25) picked up three wickets while leg-spinner Devika Vaidya (2/17) accounted for two.
Brief Scores:
Bangladesh women : 155 for eight in 50 overs (Fargana Hoque 50, Sharmin Akhter 35; Mansi Joshi 3/25).
India women: 158 for one in 33.3 overs (Mona Meshram 78 not out; Mithali Raj 73 not out; Khadija Tul Kubra 1/37).
