Dambulla. On the basis of a blistering innings of 81 runs in 48 balls by opener Shefali Verma, India scored 178 runs for three wickets against Nepal in their last group match of the Women’s Asia Cup T20 tournament. Apart from hitting 12 fours and a six in her innings, Shefali gave the team a great start by sharing 122 runs in 84 balls for the first wicket with D Hemalatha. Hemalatha contributed 47 runs with the help of five fours and a six in her 42-ball innings.
In the last overs, Jemima Rodrigues played an unbeaten innings of 28 runs with the help of five fours in 15 balls. Sita Rana Magar took two wickets and Kavita Joshi took one wicket for Nepal. The Indian team rested regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar in this match. Hemalata opened the Indian innings in place of Smriti Mandhana, who was leading the team in the match with Shefali Verma. Shefali once again gave the team a fast start by hitting two fours against Kavita Kunwar in the first over and Shabnam Rai in the fourth over.
Hemalatha, who was playing cautiously from the other end, gained confidence by hitting a spectacular four against Pooja Mahato. The Indian team completed the half-century of runs in the sixth over. Shefali hit a six and a four against Rubina Chhetri in the next over, while Hemalatha did the same against Kavita Joshi in the eighth over. Shefali completed the half-century in 26 balls with a run after hitting a four in the same over.
While Shafali was scoring runs at will against the Nepal bowlers, Hemalata was having trouble finding the gaps.
Sita Rana gave Nepal its first success by dismissing Hemalata on the last ball of the 14th over. In her next over, Shefali was also stumped while trying to play a big shot. Sanjana Sanjeevan, who came in the team in place of Vastrakar, could not do much and became the victim of Kavita Joshi after scoring 10 runs in 12 balls. Jemima hit three fours in the last over to take the team close to 180 runs.