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In a dramatic turn of events at the Asian Games, rain played a pivotal role in shaping the fate of the women's cricket quarter-finals. Despite the weather interruptions, Sri Lanka made a statement by confidently toppling Thailand, while Bangladesh secured their place in the semi-finals without facing a single ball against Hong Kong.
The action-packed game between Sri Lanka and Thailand took place at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field in Hangzhou. Battling the unpredictable rain and adapting to the revised game conditions, Thailand, after a rocky start, managed to post a total of 78-7 in their allotted 15 overs. Their recovery was primarily attributed to the gritty performance of Chanida Sutthiruang, who scored a commendable 31 runs off just 24 balls, showcasing resilience at the number seven batting position. Reflecting on the match, Chanida remarked, "Today we didn’t get enough runs,” said Chanida. “We thought that we could win the game, but we maybe needed 30 to 40 more runs. Even if we had 20 more runs, I think we could have defended it."
However, the Sri Lankan team was in no mood to let the game slip away. They efficiently chased down the target, scoring 84-2 and finishing the match with a whopping 25 balls left. The defining moment came from Harshitha Samarawickrama, who sealed the deal with a colossal six, cementing Sri Lanka's berth in the semi-finals.
Sri Lanka is now set to clash with Pakistan in what promises to be a nail-biting semi-final on Sunday. On the other hand, India, with Smriti Mandhana at the helm, will square off against Bangladesh. Interestingly, Bangladesh's progress to the semi-finals came courtesy of their higher global ranking, as their scheduled game against Hong Kong was abandoned due to incessant rain.
A surge of confidence is palpable in the Sri Lankan camp, especially after their recent T20 series triumph against England. Reflecting on the team's aspirations, Sri Lanka's coach, Rumesh Joseph Ratnayake, expressed their gold medal ambitions, stating, "We want the gold medal. We will take it match-by-match, we’ll break it into over-by-over, even ball-by-ball. So winning those important moments will be our focus and let’s hope that can be executed as we want it to.”
Rain interruptions were a common theme in this quarter-final stage. India's promising start against Malaysia was cut short by rain, resulting in a no-result verdict. Additionally, the games featuring Indonesia versus Pakistan and Bangladesh against Hong Kong faced similar washouts.
Given the recent performances, both Sri Lanka and Pakistan are carrying significant momentum into the Asian Games. While Pakistan celebrated a whitewash against South Africa in their home T20I series, Sri Lanka, under Chamari Athapaththu's leadership, secured a memorable series win against England.
As teams gear up for the concluding matches, cricket enthusiasts await the grand finale scheduled for Monday. Furthermore, the 19th Asian Games will officially commence on Saturday, with men's cricket action set to unfold on September 27.
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