India’s women team qualified for finals of Women’s Asia Cup T20 2022 by beating Thailand in the semifinals. It’s for the 8th time when India’s women’s team has entered for finals. Shafali Verma scored a quick-fire 42 and Deepti Sharma took three wickets for India to defeat Thailand by 74 runs to reach the final. India put up a score of 148/6 in their 20 overa on the board.
Thailand women’s team won the toss for the match and opted to field first in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2022 semi-finals against the Indian team which meant batting for India firstly at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Sylhet on October 13. Chasing a target of 149 runs Indian bowlers put up a strong performance and never allowed Thailand women batters to thrive in the match . India had last thrashed Thailand by nine wickets in their last encounter just a couple of days back in the Women’s Asia Cup 2022 but Thai side were riding on a high after pipping home side Bangladesh to make to the last four stage of the tournament. While Bangladesh won only two out of six games in the tournament, Thailand won three and they defeated UAE, Malaysia, and most significantly Pakistan by four wickets to finish at six points on the board. Thailand’s success at the Asia Cup has been significantly powered by their openers Nannapat Koncharoenkai and Natthakan Chantham, and the captain Naruemol Chaiwai who usually make up the top three in their batting line-up sequence. With the ball, left-arm spinner Thipatcha Putthawong is among the top five wicket-takers with eight scalps in the games. India are supported by the form of Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma and will look to continue their winning march into the title clash, the finals, where they will face either Pakistan Women’s team or Sri Lankan Women’s cricket team.
India Women playing XI:
Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(w), Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh and Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Thailand Women playing XI:
Nannapat Koncharoenkai(w), Natthakan Chantham, Naruemol Chaiwai(c), Chanida Sutthiruang, Sornnarin Tippoch, Rosenan Kanoh, Nattaya Boochatham, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Thipatcha Putthawong, Phannita Maya,and Nanthita Boonsukham
Shafali Verma won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for her excellent and all-around performance as she scored 42 runs and took a wicket in the semi finals match.
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in a last-ball thriller of the second semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2022 tournament. India vs Sri Lanka is scheduled on 15th of October, Saturday. Sri Lanka’s men just did it in the last month and their women can replicate it too in the finals but Harmanpreet and team India are also going in an excellent trend. A brilliant semi finale and the teams are all set for the title clash held on Saturday.
