Bangladesh chokes in low-scoring chase against India

MIRPUR: Spinners Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma held their nerve during death overs as India pulled off a nail-biting eight-run victory over Bangladesh to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series, here on Tuesday.

Off-spinner Sultana Khatun claimed a career-best 3/21 as the host grounded a star-studded India to a below-par 95 for 8, its lowest-ever total against Bangladesh in the women’s T20I.

However, Bangladesh stumbled to 87 all-out in 20 overs as India took a series-clinching lead with an inconsequential third match set to be played on Thursday.

From a comfortable 86 for 5, Bangladesh lost its last five wickets for just one run in a space of eight deliveries in what seemed to be an inexplicable batting collapse.

The two young Indian spinners—off-spinner Minnu Mani (4-1-9-2) and left-arm orthodox spinner Anusha Bareddy (1/20 in 4 overs) made early inroads before the seasoned duo of Deepti (3/12) and Shafali (3/15) pulled off a heist with controlled bowling in the 19th and 20th over.

Shafali in fact got all her wickets in the final over in which she gave away only solitary run when 10 were needed with four wickets intact.

Bangladesh’s chase was steered by skipper Nigar Sultana (38; 55b) -- the only batter of the side to reach double-digits.

But the skipper failed to finish it off and was brilliantly stumped by Yastika Bhatia in the penultimate over bowled by Deepti that triggered the collapse.

However, credit should be given to skipper Harmanpreet as she has shown a lot of faith in giving full quota of overs to both Minnu and Anusha, who were equal to the task.

“In this series we have a couple of young bowlers who are going to take responsibility and bowl for us. It is important for us to trust them. We are not going to hide them in the field,” Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

Minnu, the first woman senior India cricketer from Kerala, got Shamima Sultana (5) who swept but only got a top-edge to be picked by Shafali.

Spin from both ends yielded result as Deepti gave another breakthrough in Shathi Rani (5) with Harmanpreet taking fantastic one-handed catch at the first slip.

But the Bangladesh skipper held fort with some support from Shorna Akter (7 off 17 balls).

The duo added vital 34 runs in the middle as one saw a few drooping shoulders in the Indian ranks.

Brief scores: India women 95/8 in 20 overs (S Khatun 3/21) bt Bangladesh women 87 in 20 overs (D Sharma 3/12, S Verma 3/15)