Pacers Renuka Singh Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar shared five wickets between them as India women’s cricket team defeated Bangladesh by 44 runs in the first T20I in Sylhet on Sunday (Apr 28). Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (30) and Yastika Bhatia (36) stabilised the middle order but the women in Blue failed to finish their batting on a high before being eventually restricted to 145/7. However, a disciplined bowling effort from the Indians helped them restrict the hosts to 101/8 from 20 overs.
Captain Nigar Sultana Joty’s valiant half-century went in vain as Bangladesh women’s team suffered a 44-run defeat to India in the five-match T20 series opener on Sunday (Apr 28) at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Opting to bat first, India amassed 145-7 but led by Renuka Singh they defied Joty’s 48 ball-51 to restrict the Tigresses to 101-8, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
Joty’s fifty is the best score from the either side in the game on a pitch that appeared to be two-paced.
No batters from India could even hit half-century with Yastika Bhatia hitting highest 36. Opener Shafali Verma made 36 while captain Harmanpreet Kaur added 30.
Rabeya Khan claimed 3-23 for Bangladesh and Marufa Akter took 2-13.
Bangladesh's batting failure caused their defeat when it looked the total is chase-able. While Joty made 51 with five fours and one six, only two batters-Murshida Khatun (13) and Shorna Akter (11) could reach double digits.
The second T20 is on Tuesday at the same venue.
