India win big after racking up their highest T20I total
Fifties from Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh powered India to 201, and UAE barely got going in the chase
Fifties from Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh powered India to 201, and UAE barely got going in the chase
Scorer: K Vairavan | Commentator: Ashish Pant
That's it as far as the India-UAE goes, but hang tight, we are not too far away from the Nepal-Pakistan encounter which will get underway in some time. How about reading Shashank's report till then and then hopping to the other tab, where we should be live soon.
Harmanpreet Kaur: I am absolutely fine. It was a great feeling especially when Jemi [Rodrigues] and I were batting. We were looking to run hard rather than playing risky shots. When Richa came I told her to keep watching the ball and she batted beautifully. [Her knock] My role was to stay on the pitch and keep rotating the strike. We had a good partnership especially with Richa. Credit goes to her. [On her memories of 175 against Australia] That was a special innings for me. Was a great memory. Really happy that innings came from me. It always gave me positive vibes. [Playing fearlessly] Today also we lost early wickets but we kept ourselves ready.
Richa Ghosh is the player of the match: Whenever I am playing with Harry [Harmanpreet] di, she tells me how the ball is coming on and how to play the shots. Whenever I get the opportunity, I want to back myself. The first four from a cover drive was my favourite.
Esha Oza: [Experience] It was a great experience. Lots of learnings. How to build an innings, that is something we saw first hand, and how to finish games. This is what we need to work on. We were never satisfied when playing such a big team. We need to make sure we need to take 10 wickets and not three. [Next game] We put up a better score against a better side. We have one more game, and want to take the learnings to that game.
Presentation time
5.15pm A big 78-run win for India and they have one foot in the semi-final. A clinical effort from the seven-time champions. Richa Ghosh's maiden T20I fifty and Harmanpreet's 66 took India to their highest ever score in the format. The bowlers then came into their own and UAE had no chance. Captain Esha Oza showed her class but there was little support from the other end. Chasing 202 was never going to be easy and UAE could only muster 123 for 7 in their 20 overs. Five bowlers used by India and all five chipped in with at least a wicket. India haven't yet qualified for the semis, but are primed to make it through after two big wins.
Rithika Rajith run out 6 (10m 7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 85.71
Elsewhere, it's almost time for the Olympics where Indian athletes are expected to create history. Will India have a two-time Olympic champion or a female Olympic champion for the first time? Here's a wishlist from Paris 2024.
Mere formality now with UAE requiring 87 runs in 6 balls. Radha will bowl the last over.
Fifties from Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh powered India to 201, and UAE barely got going in the chase
Ghosh and Harmanpreet also combined to rewrite a number of Women's Asia Cup records