Sylhet [Bangladesh]: An all-round India smashed Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in the final match of the Women’s Asia Cup 2022, clinching their 7th title.
The day was exceptionally memorable for India as tight bowling from bowlers, Renuka Singh (3/5) particularly, limited Sri Lanka to 65/9 in 20 overs. The target of 66 was ferreted out with really little aggravation and also it was Smriti Mandhana who top-scored with an unbeaten 51 * off 25 rounds. Chasing 66, India was off to a strong begin as they managed to rack up almost half of their target prior to spinner Inoka Ranaweera dismissed Shafali Verma (5 off 7 balls) after the batter was baffled by wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani.
India was at 32/1, with Mandhana having actually scored unbeaten 26 runs in simply 14 rounds with 2 sophisticated fours and also 2 6s.
Jemimah Rodrigues was the following batter on the crease. She was bowled by Kavisha Dilhari for simply two after her off stump was dislodged while she tried to come forward to slog the round.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was next up on the crease. At the end of the power-play in 6 overs, India went to 42/2, with Mandhana (28 *) and Kaur (6 *).
Mandhana hit two fours on the offside, taking India to the 50-run mark. The duo took India to a comprehensive eight-wicket win, ending up at 71/2 in 8.3 overs. Mandhana, unbeaten at 51 off 31 rounds, ended up the match with a substantial 6. Kaur was unbeaten at 11 on the various other end.
Earlier, intense power-play spell from pacer Renuka Singh as well as top-notch efficiency by spinners Sneh Rana as well as Rajeshwari Gayakwad aided India restrict Sri Lanka to 65/9 in their 20 overs in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup final at Sylhet on Saturday.
Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka was off to a hideous beginning. Pacer Renuka Singh was definitely terrorising on the area, running out captain Chamari Athapaththu (6) and dismissing Harshitha Madavi (1) as well as Hasini Perera (0 ). One more run out cut short the four-ball stay of Anushka Sanjeewani (2) on the fold. Sri Lanka was reduced to 9/4 in 3.5 overs, with Renuka associated with 3 of these dismissals.
Kavisha Dilhari’s bat was beaten as well as her stumps were displaced by Renuka, who got her 3rd arch of the match. Dilhari was back in the hut after scoring just one run.
SL can not catch a breather in the entire power-play as well as were left at a shambolic 16/5 with Nilakshi de Silva (5) as well as Oshadi Ranasinghe (0) at the fold.
The miseries of Sri Lanka did not end even after the power play as Nilakshi de Silva (6) was tricked by spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad while attempting to reduce. Sri Lanka was 18/6 at this moment as well as someone needed to intervene to quit this descending spiral.
Group India remained to control their challengers, this moment with spin. Sneh Rana captured and bowled Malsha Shehani for a five-ball duck.
At the end of 10 overs, Sri Lanka was at 26/7 with Sugandika Kumari (0 *) and also Oshadi Ranasinghe (8 *).
Oshadi Ranasinghe had kept one end steady all this while, being the only second gamer yet to have actually played 10 spheres or even more.
Ranasinghe’s resistance against India’s world-class bowling ended after a delivery from Gaekwad landed full outside off stump and while the batter tried to swipe it over long-off, she missed it as well as it landed on the stumps. The batter was out for 13 off 20 spheres as well as was the sole batter to get to dual figures. Sri Lanka went to 32/8.
At the end of 15 overs, Sri Lanka was at 40/8, with Kumari (5 *) and Inoka Ranaweera (3 *).
Sugandika Kumari and Inoka Ranaweera stitched the initial double-digit collaboration for their side however it was cut short at 10 runs only after a Rana delivery rattled Kumari’s stumps, sending her back for 6 off 24 balls. SL was at 43/9 at this moment.
Sri Lanka handled to damage their means towards the 50-run mark at 17.5 overs. Ranaweera likewise touched a double-digit score. The batter struck 2 limits in the final over to end up Sri Lanka’s innings at 65/9, with Ranaweera top-scoring with 18 * off 22 rounds as well as her partner Achini Kulasuriya unbeaten at 6.
Renuka’s three-over spell of 3/5 was the best part of India’s bowling in the match. Spinners Gaekwad, and Rana additionally took 2 wickets.
Short Scores: Sri Lanka: 65/9 (Inoka Ranaweera 18 *, Oshadi Ranasinghe 13, Renuka Singh 3/5) lost to India: 71/2 (Smriti Mandhana 51 *, Harmanpreet Kaur 11 *, Inoka Ranaweera 1/17).
