India will be the heavy favourite to beat Thailand in the semifinal of the Women’s Asia Cup on Thursday. The last match between the two teams, played during the league stage, had turned out to be a no-contest: India skittled Thailand out for just 37 runs in 15.1 overs en route to a nine-wicket win. Having made it to the semifinal at the expense of 2018 champion Bangladesh, Thailand would be hoping for a better effort than that with the bat. The Women’s Asia Cup has come as a perfect opportunity for India to test its bench strength and give its less-experienced players enough game time ahead of the next year’s T20 World Cup in South Africa. As a result, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur played only three of the six league matches, and even dropped down to No. 7 against Pakistan in the only game the team lost.
India has tried out the likes of Kiran Prabhu Navgire and Dayalan Hemalatha in search of a “finisher.” Navgire, who smashed the fastest fifty in the Women’s T20 Challenge earlier in May, managed to score just 10 runs from three innings, while the more experienced Hemalatha also failed to impress, scoring 45 runs in four innings. It remains to be seen if the team continues to experiment or play full strength to be ready for the title clash.
And here we go! Excitement continues as we reach the semi-finals of the #WomensAsiaCup2022. _
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) October 12, 2022
India __ take on Thailand __ in the first game and Pakistan __ take on Sri Lanka __ in the second.
Who do you think will reach the finals? Tell us below _#AsianCricketCouncil #ACC pic.twitter.com/2TmChigm7M
The spin troika of Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Rajeshwari Gayakwad have managed to keep most of the teams under check. To make it a contest, the onus would be on Thailand's top three - Nannapat Koncharoenkai, Natthakan Chantham and skipper Chaiwai - to fire. The trio has done bulk of the scoring for the team and a big test awaits them against a disciplined Indian bowling attack.
India Women vs Thailand Women, Semi-final 1
Venue: Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
Date & Time: October 12 at 8.30 AM IST
Live Streaming and TV details: Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar website and app
Wicketkeeper: Richa Ghosh, Nannapat Koncharoenkai
Batters: Natthakan Chantham, Harmanpreet Kaur, Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana
All-rounders: Chanida Sutthiruang, Deepti Sharma
Bowlers: Nattaya Boochatham, Thipatcha Putthawong, Renuka Singh
Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
Vice-captain: Shafali Verma
IND-W: Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Sabbhineni Meghana, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Deepti Sharma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Richa Ghosh, Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
TL-W: Natthakan Chantam, Naruemol Chaiwai(C), R Kanoh, Banthida Leephatthana, Sornnarin Tippoch, Chanida Sutthiruang, Nannapat Koncharoenkai, Phannita Maya, Nattaya Boochatham, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Thipatcha Putthawong
With PTI inputs
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