Kuala Lumpur, Jan 26: Reigning champions India continued their dominant run in the ICC Women’s U19 World Cup with a resounding eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in their Super Six encounter here on Sunday.
With this comprehensive win, India have now registered their fourth consecutive victory in the tournament, maintaining their unbeaten streak and further establishing themselves as strong title contenders.
A disciplined Indian bowling attack, spearheaded by left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma’s impressive spell of 3/15, restricted Bangladesh to a paltry 64 runs in their 20 overs — their lowest total of the tournament.
Despite their struggles, Bangladesh’s total was the highest conceded by India in the tournament so far, having previously bowled out West Indies (44) and Malaysia (31) for under 50.
In response, India’s chase was off to a blazing start, led by the in-form Trisha Gongadi, who once again proved her class with a fluent 40 off just 31 balls.
She peppered the boundary ropes with eight fours, showcasing an aggressive intent and putting Bangladesh’s bowling attack under immense pressure.
By the time she was dismissed after the powerplay, India needed just five more runs to seal the win.
Sanika Chalke (11 not out) and skipper Niki Prasad (5 not out) ensured there were no further hiccups, guiding India to victory in just 7.1 overs.
Their bowlers have been the cornerstone of their campaign, consistently delivering under pressure and keeping the opposition under 100 in all matches played so far.
Put in to bat, Bangladesh started with aggression but their approach backfired as they lost three quick wickets within the first four overs, reeling at 9/3 before limping to 16/3 at the end of the powerplay.
Indian seamers VJ Joshitha (3-1-6-1) and Shabnam Shakil (2-0-7-1) made full use of the conditions, extracting movement and bounce to stifle Bangladesh’s batters.
With the early breakthroughs, the Indian spinners took charge and tightened their grip on the game.
Vaishnavi was instrumental in dismantling the middle order, breaking a crucial 31-run partnership between skipper Sumaiya Akter and Jannatul Maoua for the sixth wicket, which saw Bangladesh crumble from 53/4 to 64/9.
Gongadi (2-0-6-1) also chipped in with her leg-spin, ensuring no respite for the Bangladeshi batters.
Bangladesh skipper Sumaiya fought a lone battle with 21 from 29 balls, providing some stability to the innings alongside Jannatul Maoua, who scored 14 off 20 deliveries.
They were the only two batters to reach double figures as India’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure.
Bangladesh’s innings was marred by poor running between the wickets and frequent dismissals, making it difficult for them to accelerate at any stage.
Despite their struggles, they managed to play out the full 20 overs, which will be a small takeaway for them going forward. PTI
India will look to carry this momentum forward when they face Scotland in their concluding Super Six fixture here on Tuesday. (PTI)
