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Playing a T20I after more than three and a half months, Harmanpreet Kaur-led India began their preparation for T20 World Cup 2024 on Bangladesh soil with a comfortable 44-run win at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. After cameos from Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet and Richa Ghosh helped India post 145/7, Renuka Thakur struck early and despite skipper Nigar Sultana's half-century, Bangladesh managed to post 101/8.
Good start despite early wicket
Harmanpreet won the toss and opted to bat first. Smriti Mandhana got bowled by Fariha Trisna for a single-digit score. Shafali Verma did the bulk of scoring in the powerplay overs. She got a reprieve in the sixth over when here catch was dropped by Sultana. In the ninth over, Rabeya Khan broke the partnership. The opener scored 31 runs from 22 balls. Harmanpreet hit a few boundaries to push the scoring rate. Yastika accelerated as well.
India fail to post big score
Fatima Khatun broke the partnership by trapping Harmanpreet in front of the wickets. She scored 30 runs from 22 balls. Rabeya returned to get rid of Yastika. The left-handed batter scored 36 runs from 29 balls including six fours. Debutant S Sajana hit a couple of fours before falling to Rabeya in her last over. She contributed with a run-a-ball 11. In the penultimate over, Richa hit the only six of the innings. In the final over, Marufa Akter conceded just two runs and got the wickets of Richa and Pooja Vastrakar. The wicketkeeper-batter's 17-ball 23 helped India post 145/7.
Renuka strikes early
In the run chase, Dilara Akter got off the mark with a boundary. Next ball, Renuka got Akter out lbw. In her third over, Sobha Mostary got bowled as she lacked foot movement against a seaming delivery. Deepti Sharma was introduced into the attack and she dismissed Murshida Khtaun for an 18-ball 13. Vastrkar in her second over got Fahima's wicket for a single-digit score. At the halfway stage, Bangladesh were 47/4.
No support for Sultana
Sultana and Shorna Akter struggled to hit boundaries and the required run rate went up. Radha Yadav in the 14th over ended Shorna's troubled stay at the crease. She scored 11 runs from 18 balls. In the 15th over, Sultana hit the first six of the innings off Shreyanka Patil. Renuka came back into the attack and bagged her third wicket in form of Rabeya. In the penultimate over, Sultana reached her fifty from 45 balls. Patil ended her spell with Nahida's wicket. In the final over Sultana got bowled by Vastrakar. Her 48-ball 51 featured five fours and a six. Bangladesh managed to post 101/8 despite free hit in the last over.
“I think our bowlers did a great job today. Took the responsibility to give us a win. As a batting group, we wanted to show intent. The last 6 overs, things didn't go according to plan but till then we played really well. Our goal was to get the confidence up and play our shots. That's what we worked on for the last three days. We wanted to put extra pressure on the batters and create opportunities with our fielding,” Harmanpreet said in the post-match presentation.
The next T20I of the five-T20I series will be played on April 30 at the same venue.
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