In the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, India won the toss for the first time in their third and final league-stage match, match 10.
Their early decision to bat first paid off, as they scored 10 runs or more in four of the six powerplay overs. Dayalan Hemalatha scored at a rate lower than run-a-ball, although Shafali Verma was the more aggressive player.
The Indian team easily passed the 100-run mark by the eleventh over, demonstrating the benefit of stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana’s decision to drop herself in the batting order and give other players a chance. The opening partnership was eventually broken on the last delivery of the 14th over, at 122, but the damage was already done.
Verma looked on course for his first T20I century, but on the third delivery of the sixteenth over, he attempted an exaggerated swing and was caught. That dismissal gained her second wicket of the evening for left-arm orthodox Sita Rana Magar, who was the most impressive player for the Nepalese team. By the end of their innings, her side had amassed a massive score of 178/3 thanks to a quick unbeaten 28* from Jemimah Rodrigues’ 15 deliveries.
The Nepalese failed to gather momentum in the run-chase and could not capitalise on their opportunity, losing a few wickets in the powerplay with only 31 runs scored. Their problems were made worse by the loss of Rana Magar, as the Nepalese team collapsed to 52/4 in the eleventh over, with the Indians having scored almost twice as much in the opening half of the innings.
India continued to take wickets at regular intervals, with Tanuja Kanwar bowling a maiden over and Deepti Sharma, who is currently leading the tournament in wicket-taking, bowling a double-wicket over. The Nepalese team’s destiny was ultimately decided by this sequence of events, as they could only muster 96 runs in 20 overs at a cost of nine wickets. The only bowlers to give up runs at a rate higher than seven runs per over were Arundhati Reddy and Sajeevan Sajana.
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India defeated Pakistan by 82 runs to win the match and move on to the semi-finals. Pakistan was the other team in their group.
Here’s how X reacted to the game:
Nepal have had a rather impressive campaign
They were the lowest ranked team in the group but still finished 3rd and got their 1st win ever in the Asia Cup
A team that has a lot of potential & can move up the rankings#AsiaCup2024 #WomensAsiaCup #WomensAsiaCup2024 #INDvNEP
— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) July 23, 2024
Another comfortable win for Team India against Nepal in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024. 🇮🇳🔥
They defeated Nepal by a margin of 82 runs with this India booked their place in the Semi-final. 👏👏@BCCIWomen #TeamIndia #INDvNEP #INDWvNEPW #AsiaCup #AsiaCup2024 #WomensAsiaCup2024 pic.twitter.com/zD3C1TjUwJ
— Saabir Zafar (@Saabir_Saabu01) July 23, 2024
#INDvNEP IND 6 POINTS pic.twitter.com/i1EPykRoqZ
— Vamshi Stambamkadi (@Film_Director_) July 23, 2024
Fastest fifty in Women’s Asia Cup
25 balls – Smriti Mandhana🇮🇳 v SL, 2022
26 balls – Richa Ghosh🇮🇳 v UAE, 2024
26 balls – Shafali Verma🇮🇳 v MLY, 20242 of them are by Indian 20 year olds in back-to-back games.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) July 23, 2024
Sita Rana Magar You Beauty 🤌 Takes Down Set’s Batter Saifali. Crucial 2 Wickets For Team Nepal In First Match Against India. ACC Women’s Aisa Cup 2024. #NEPvsIND pic.twitter.com/mbKS7Le3FM
— SaLekhnath (@SaLekhnath) July 23, 2024
India Women have posted a decent total of 178/3 in 20 overs against the Nepal Women Asia Cup 2024. 🇮🇳🔥🔥
Nepal Women need 179 runs to win in 20 overs against India Women.#TeamIndia #INDvNEP #INDWvNEPW #AsiaCup #AsiaCup2024 #WomensAsiaCup2024 pic.twitter.com/eXbCCdkmuu
— Saabir Zafar (@Saabir_Saabu01) July 23, 2024
Really worst batting from India
Believing this Indian women’s team is the worst thing ever in my life
Pls god Delete this fucking team from my mind
Yerripuku jemmiah mokam dhaana 2nd run try aina chesi chavocchuga#WomensAsiaCup2024 #INDvNEP— Abhi Kalyan (@Abhi_KalyanBabu) July 23, 2024
India women set a target of 179 for nepal women, Great opening partnership by Shafali Varma, Dayalan Hemalatha and Good finish by Jemimah Rodrigues.
— Akaran.A (@Akaran_1) July 23, 2024
Kabita Joshi to Shafali Verma, FIFTY FOR SHAFALI VERMA! That was quick! Tossed up on middle. Shafali Verma punches it to long on for a single to reach her milestone.✌️#INDvsNEP #Budget2024 #sldk #Viralvideo #Trump #NEET #OlympiacosBC pic.twitter.com/CadDrDbQjj
— Vijay__🇮🇳 (@Vijay_Sancholi_) July 23, 2024
SHAFALI VERMA ON FIRE! 🔥 10th T20I fifty for the #TeamIndia opener! She’s playing a cracking knock in the #WomensAsiaCup2024 against Nepal! Keep going, Shafali! #TheShafaliVerma #WomensCricket #INDvNEP pic.twitter.com/6hqC4s6HOB
— Akshay Tadvi 🇮🇳 (@AkshayTadvi28) July 23, 2024