A spirited effort from Bangladesh women and couple of needless run outs led to the third and final ODI of the series ending in a tie. In the run chase of 226, India were cruising towards the target before rain played spoilsport. However, after the match restarted India suffered a batting collapse and Jemimah Rodrigues remained stranded on one end as the game ended in a tie.
Why no super over?
Usually, the winner of the decider ODI was supposed to be decided by super over. Apparently, the game ended in a tie as the scheduled time was done due to rain delay. As a result, the three-match series ended in a tie and the trophy will be shared by the two teams.
Solid opening partnership
Earlier, Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana won the toss and opted to bat first. Shamima Sultana and Fargana Hoque shared a 93-run opening partnership which was broken in the 27th over by Sneh Rana. Sultana’s dropped catch few overs earlier helped her reach fifty. She scored 52 runs from 78 balls including five fours.
Bangladesh’s first ODI centurion
Fargana continued to anchor the innings. Rana struck again in the 41st over to dismiss Nigar who scored 24 runs from 36 balls. In the next over, Ritu Moni fell to Devikya Vaidya. Sobhana Mostary scored at a brisk rate in the slog overs. Meanwhile, Fargana became the first ever Bangladesh women cricketer to score a century in ODIs. She scored 107 runs from 160 balls including seven fours. The previous highest individual score belonged to Salma Khatun and Rumana Ahmed who scored 75 each in 2013. Mostary's unbeaten 22-ball 23 helped the hosts post 225/4.
India in control before rain
In the run chase, India lost Shafali Verma and Yastika Bhatia for single-digit scores. The partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol stabilised the run chase. Fahima Khatun got the breakthrough in the form of Mandhana. The opener scored 59 runs from 85 balls including five fours. The two batters shared a 107-run stand for the third wicket. Skipper Harmanpreet got off to a decent start but was dismissed for a score of 14. Rodrigues joined Deol in the middle. Few overs later, rain played spoilsport. India's score was 173/4 from 38 overs with Deol batting on 67. India were also ahead as per DLS method.
Total chaos
The game restarted and there was no reduction of overs. Deol's catch was dropped off Fahima's bowling. But in the 42nd over, two quick wickets fell. First Deol threw her wicket away trying to take a non-existent single. Then, Deepti Sharma was caught short of the crease by a direct hit. Deol scored 77 runs from 108 balls including nine fours. No boundaries were scored in the following overs but India were in control. But the pressure got to Amanjot Kaur who got out lbw. In the 48th over, Nahida Akter struck twice as both Rana and Devika Vadiya got out caught and bowled for ducks.
India fall just short
When no.11 batter Meghna Singh walked in to bat, India needed nine runs from 14 balls. No run came off the next four deliveries. Rodrigues had to take a single in the penultimate over. Meghna released pressure with a boundary off fifth ball of the over and then took a single. Three runs were needed off the last six balls. Two singles came off the first two balls and the scores were level. Then Meghna edged one to the wicketkeeper off Marufa Akter's bowling and the game ended in a tie.
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