India’s eves secured a thrilling eight-run win against Bangladesh in their second T20I, leading the three-match series 2-0 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Opting to bat first, India’s batters made decent starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores, as they were restricted to 95/8 in 20 overs – their lowest in T20Is against Bangladesh.
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However, India’s spinners Deepti Sharma (3/12) and Minnu Mani (2/9), stifled the Bangladeshi batting lineup and claimed five wickets together. Shafali Verma also impressed with bowling figures of 3/15, dismissing the tailenders and bowling out Bangladesh for 87 runs.
During Bangladesh’s chase, Pooja Vastrakar conceded 10 runs in the opening over, which was the only over of pace bowling in the innings. Taking advantage of the spin conditions, Indian skipper Harmanpreet employed five spinners, including part-time options Rodrigues and Shafali, to apply pressure on the opposition.
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With the exception of captain Nigar Sultana, none of the Bangladeshi batters could convert their starts. They struggled to score runs and succumbed to single-digit dismissals thanks to Mani and Deepti’s effective bolwing. Nigar formed crucial partnerships of 34 runs with Shorna and 22 runs with Nahida for the fifth and sixth wickets, but her dismissal with Bangladesh only 10 runs away triggered a dramatic collapse in the final over. Shafali Verma’s outstanding performance resulted in her taking three wickets in five balls, as India secured the series with a game to spare.
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In the first innings, Verma exhibited the most fluent strokeplay among the Indian batters, scoring a quick 19 off 13 deliveries before being dismissed at the beginning of the sixth over. Shortly after, India lost their vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who managed a run-a-ball 13.
Harmanpreet was then dismissed for a golden duck by Sultana Khatun, forcing the team to adopt a defensive approach. The next highest contribution came from Amanjot Kaur, who scored a couple of boundaries in her 17-ball 14, guiding India closer to the hundred-run mark.
