Smriti, Shafali guide India to series win over Bangladesh following 7-wicket triumph in 3rd T20I

SYLHET (Bangladesh) : Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana’s opening stand helped India clinch a comprehensive victory as well as the T20I series against Bangladesh on Thursday in Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

India took an unassailable 3-0 lead following their effortless 7-wicket triumph over Bangladesh.

After bundling out Bangladesh on 117/8, the Indian opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma started the game with flying colours, playing some effortless stroke play.

Shafali took the mantle of being aggressive and scoring runs, while Mandhana held on to the other end, rotating the strike and finding the fence in every possible situation. Shafali went on to raise her bat for a remarkable fifty.

The duo forged a 91-run opening partnership, which took the game as well as the series away from the hosts.

Shafali got dismissed for 51, following a remarkable one-handed stunner from Ritu Moni off her own bowling.

Bangladesh bowlers tightened their lines after the breakthrough, but India hardly felt the pressure of the required rate on their shoulders.

India lost two more wickets as Bangladesh managed to take the match to the 19th over. Mandhana fell before completing her fifty.
Player of the Match in the second T20I, Dayalan Hemalatha, got trapped in front of the stumps by Rabeya Khan.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh applied the finishing touches to seal a 7-wicket win for the visitors with nine balls to spare.

Earlier in the innings, after winning the toss, India put Bangladesh to bat, opening batter Dilara Akter led the charge with the bat, while skipper Nigar Sultana played second fiddle to her.

At 85/3 in the 14th over, Bangladesh looked well set for a competitive total.

However, a clinical spell from the Indian bowlers left Bangladesh’s middle-order set-up rattled. The hosts struggled to find the fence as Indian bowlers were rampant.

India’s collective effort reduced Bangladesh to 117/8.

Brief Score: Bangladesh (Dilara Akter 39, Nigar Sultana 28; Radha Yadav 2-22) vs India (Shafali Verma 51, Smriti Mandhana 47; Ritu Moni 1-10). (ANI)