India emerged victorious in a gripping battle of spin against Bangladesh, securing a series win in the T20I
series held in Dhaka. While Bangladesh’s spinners performed well, their batters, apart from Nigar
Sultana, failed to deliver.
Chasing a modest target set by India, Bangladesh’s hopes rested on captain Sultana, who played a
responsible knock of 38 off 55 balls. However, she was dismissed in the penultimate over when the
team needed ten runs from eight balls. India’s Shafali Verma bowled an excellent last over, taking three
wickets and securing a run-out to seal the game.
Throughout the match, spin played a dominant role, with 35 overs of spin bowling, resulting in 16
wickets falling to spinners. India, opting to bat first, struggled to build a substantial total, finishing with
their lowest T20I score against Bangladesh, 95 for eight wickets. Bangladesh’s spinners exploited favourable conditions, restricting India’s scoring opportunities.
India’s top order showed promise initially, with Verma aggressively hitting three fours off pacer
Marufa Akter. However, a batting collapse ensued, and they lost wickets regularly. Nahida Akter’s
slow left-arm spin dismissed Smriti Mandhana, while offspinner Sultana Khatun claimed the wickets of
Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur in successive balls. Sultana Khatun ended with impressive figures
of three wickets for 21 runs, and Fahima Khatun took two for 16 runs.
Bangladesh’s fielding was commendable, highlighted by Shorna Akter’s low running and Sobana
Mostary’s outstanding catch. India struggled to find boundaries between the sixth and 13th overs, with
Bangladesh’s spinners maintaining a tight grip on the game. Jemimah Rodrigues and Harleen Deol
couldn’t accelerate the scoring despite spending significant time at the crease. Amanjot Kaur’s late
boundaries provided some relief for India.
In response, India deployed a spin-heavy attack, utilising five spinners, including part-timers Rodrigues
and Verma. Minnu Mani, playing her second international game, stood out with figures of two for nine,
bowling four consecutive overs, including a maiden. Deepti Sharma also played a crucial role, taking two
wickets and conceding only eight runs in her first three overs before dismissing the key wicket of
Sultana in her final over.
Apart from Sultana, Bangladesh struggled to score freely, losing wickets at regular intervals. Sultana’s
calculated innings helped stabilise the game, forging partnerships with Shorna and Nahida. However,
after Sultana’s dismissal, Bangladesh crumbled under pressure, losing four wickets in the final over.
India’s dominance in the spin battle secured them an unassailable 2-0 series lead, with their spinners
proving to be the difference-makers in the contest.
