Asian Games: Shafali Verma leads batting cost, India progress to semifinal after rain-hit affair towards Malaysia

Indian girls’s cricket staff entered the semifinals of the Asian Games in Hangzhou after rain interruptions led to their match towards Malaysia being referred to as off earlier than completion on Thursday. India posted a complete of 173/5 of their decreased quota of 15 overs whereas Malaysia’s innings lasted simply two balls. India progressed on the premise of being the higher-ranked staff.

Smriti Mandhana and Co will tackle the winner of Bangladesh versus Hong Kong China, which can happen on Friday on the Pingfeng Cricket Field in Zhejiang University of Technology.

Asked to bat first by Malaysia, India had been off to a flying begin with captain Mandhana and Shafali Verma discovering the boundaries frequently. There had been fairly a full tosses to feast on, and Malaysia’s fielding allow them to down as properly. Verma got here down the monitor frequently to drive the tempo and it threw bowlers off their lengths.

.@TheShafaliVerma was a category act with the bat within the nineteenth #AsianGames quarter-final 🏏💥

React to her 🔥innings in a single emoji 💬#SonySportsNetwork #Hangzhou2022 #WorkforceIndia #Cheer4India #IssBaarSauPaar pic.twitter.com/v7TVVeKB9K

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 21, 2023

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While confronted with a packed offside discipline given her strengths, Mandhana confirmed tactical consciousness to focus on the leg aspect as a lot as she might. But regardless of wanting in good contact, the left-hander fell to spin contained in the powerplay. It’s been an issue for the star batter off late and this dismissal will as soon as once more alert the spin-heavy bowling assaults of the opposite sides within the event.

The dismissal, nevertheless, didn’t gradual India down. Verma was dropped on 18 at lengthy on within the fourth over, and that was at all times going to show expensive for the Malaysians. The right-handed opener continued to smash the ball at will, on her technique to a half century and completed with 5 sixes and 4 fours in her 39-ball 67.

Jemimah Rodrigues joined Verma on the fall of the primary wicket and the duo saved the tempo of scoring up after the primary rain interruption that decreased the match to fifteen overs per aspect.

.@JemiRodrigues put her foot on the accelerator on the proper time 🔥

The ⭐ batter smashed an unbeaten 47 off simply 29 deliveries 🏏#SonySporsNetwork #AsianGames #Hangzhou2022 #WorkforceIndia #Cheer4India #IssBaarSauPaar pic.twitter.com/cvNPw8HaN7

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Rodrigues, complementing Verma’s brute energy with extra classical timing, displayed her vary of strokes on the offside, driving and slicing at will in a stroke-filled 29-ball 47*.

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The remaining act of the innings for India got here from the returning Richa Ghosh. The keeper-batter, who was unnoticed of the Bangladesh collection just lately, made a big effect in the long run, scoring 4 boundaries within the remaining over. She completed unbeaten on 21 off simply seven balls, with three fours and a six for a strike fee of 300.

The run-chase would have anyhow been daunting for Malaysia however the climate ended the match after simply two balls had been bowled by Pooja Vastrakar.

India’s semifinal conflict might be on 24 September. The medal matches are scheduled for 25 September.