India secured a comprehensive 122-run win over the United Arab Emirates in their second ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup 2023 fixture, here at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni. Chasing a gigantic target of 220 runs, UAE could only reply with a meagre 97/5.
Shabnam MD set the tone for India by dismissing the opposition’s skipper, Theertha Satish, in the first over. Titas Sadhu then followed suit by sending Samaira Dharnidharka back to the dressing room, before Mannat Kashyap opened her tally with the wicket of Rinitha Rajith.
A 36-run fourth-wicket stand between Lavanya Ken and Mahika Gaur helped UAE prevent a collapse, but the contest was all but settled by then.
Gaur lost her wicket to a run out in the 17th over, before Leny’s resilient knock ended after 24 hard-fought runs.
For Shafali Verma’s team, Sadhu was the most impressive bowler, as besides picking up a wicket, she conceded only 14 runs in her four overs and also had a maiden to her name.
Shafali, Shewta’s Knocks Help India Score 219
Earlier, India’s young batters put up a brilliant display of their immense talent to score 219/3 in their 20 overs, making light work of the UAE bowlers in the process.
After being asked to bat first by the opposition skipper, Verma and the promising Shweta Sehrawat got off to a scintillating start. The duo scored 68 runs in the powerplay, an even the conclusion of field restrictions had no influence on the incessant flow of boundaries.
After scoring 78 runs in only 34 deliveries, which included 12 fours and four sixes, Verma’s inning ended in the ninth over when she fell prey to Indhuja Nandakumar. However, it was then Richa Ghosh’s turn to ensure a smooth elimination of any scope of a comeback for the UAE youngsters.
The wicketkeeper-batter continued the onslaught, with last match’s star, Sehrawat playing her natural game from the other end. Ghosh accumulated 49 runs in only 29 deliveries, with her strike rate being 168.97, before Mahika Gaur finally ended her stay at the crease.
Coming at number four, Gongadi Trisha played a cameo of 5-ball 11, but for the second match in a row, Sehrawat never let her guard down. She remained unbeaten yet again, this time accumulating 74 runs in 49 deliveries – 40 of which came solitarily from boundaries.
With this win, India are firmly placed at the top of the Group D standings, with four points in two matches and a handsome net run rate of +4.083. In their last group stage encounter, Verma’s girls will face Scotland at Willowmoore Park B Field, on Wednesday, 18 January.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)