India's batting collapse in the first innings was overshadowed by Shafali Verma's exceptional performance in the final over, turning the game in India's favour and securing a thrilling 8-run victory over Bangladesh in the second T20I of the three-match series held at Shere Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.
Magical over of shafali verma
— Somnath Chakraborty (@Somnath44333169) July 11, 2023
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Defending their lowest total against Bangladesh, India relied on Shafali Verma's impressive bowling display, where she picked up three wickets and conceded just one run in the crucial last over. Additionally, Deepti Sharma also played a significant role, claiming three wickets for India.
Bangladesh's Sultana Khatun (3-21) and Fahima Khatun (2-16) emerged as stars for their team, causing havoc in India's batting order with their remarkable bowling spells. As a result, the visitors were restricted to 95/8 in 20 overs. Despite the challenging target of 96, India made a strong start when Minnu Mani dismissed Shamima Sultana for 5 in the second over. Deepti Sharma showcased her spin bowling skills by taking the wicket of Shathi Rani in the third over.
Murshida Khatun and Nigar Sultana attempted to stabilize Bangladesh's innings against India's formidable bowling attack. However, in the seventh over, Bareddy Anusha claimed her first T20I wicket by dismissing Murshida Khatun for 4. Ritu Moni, the right-handed batter who followed, couldn't contribute much and fell to Minnu Mani in the 8th over.
Deepti Sharma further bolstered India's bowling performance by removing Shorna Akter for 7 in the 15th over. Nonetheless, Bangladesh's captain, Nigar Sultana, persisted and focused on extending the game, aided by some fortunate moments. As Bangladesh approached the target, Nigar Sultana remained resilient, scoring singles and occasionally hitting boundaries. However, her dismissal in the 19th overturned the tide in favour of India.
The Indian bowlers kept the match alive until the last over, with Bangladesh needing 10 runs off 6 balls. In a remarkable display, Shafali Verma took the wicket of Nahida Akter on the second ball, while Fahima Khatun departed after being caught and bowled by the Indian star on the fourth delivery. Shafali continued her stellar performance by dismissing Marufa Akter for zero, ultimately bundling out Bangladesh for 87 and securing an 8-run victory for India.
During the earlier innings, India struggled against Bangladesh's bowlers and managed to post only 95/8 in the second T20I match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday. India had elected to bat first.
Brief score: India 95/8 (Shafali Verma 19, Amanjot Kaur 14; Sultana Khatun 3-21) vs Bangladesh 87 (Nigar Sultana 38, Shorna Akter 7; Shafali Verma 3-15).