Bangladesh Women now have bragging rights as they defeated India Women by 40 runs in a rain-hit first ODI at Mirpur by the DLS Method. Chasing a target of 154, India could only manage 113 in 35.5 overs before getting bundled out. The theme of low scores continued from the WT20Is that happened prior to the ODI series which India won 2-1.
While Indian batters found it hard to handle Bangladesh’s spinners in the WT20Is, fast bowler Marufa Akter wreaked havoc on the Indian batting order in the first of the three ODIs. She scalped two early wickets with the new ball and then struck with consecutive deliveries in the middle overs to finish with figures of 4/29 in four overs. Leg spinner Rabeya Khatun contributed with three wickets as India could never gain any momentum in the run-chase.
Amanjot Kaur’s dazzling debut went in vain
While Marufa scalped openers Priya Puniya, Smriti Mandhana, and middle-order batters Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana, Rabeya Khatun was able to get the key wickets of Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma. Earlier, Indian debutant Amanjot Kaur dazzled on debut with figures of 4/31 which helped India restrict Bangladesh to 152. India got a revised target of 154 in 44 overs, given Bangladesh could not play out their 44 overs. Notably, rain shortened the match to 44 overs a side.
Nigar Sultana top-scored for Bangladesh with 39 off 64 balls, while Fargana Hoque with 27 off 45 followed her. These two aside, no other batter could get past the 20-run margin. Notably, five of their batters could only manage single-digit scores. Amanjot Kaur sliced through the top order with the wickets of the top four Bangladesh batters including the two top scorers.
In response, only Deepti Sharma with 20 off 40 reached the 20-run mark. Amanjot Kaur with 15 off 40 and Yastika Bhatia with 15 off 24, were the second-highest scorers for India. Overall, it was a forgettable batting display from the Women in Blue. The next ODI will be played on 19 July, Wednesday at the same venue.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Choker mandhana and tik tok star jemimah ??
— ?????? ????? ? (@vishaldhoni7781) July 16, 2023
The mi blood captain
— king (@manudada111) July 16, 2023
150+ low score run chase mei 50+ run se kon harta hai. Pathetic & shameful. ?
— Satya P Singh(spbtctrade) (@spsinghweb) July 16, 2023
Everyone to Indian women's team pic.twitter.com/S5s2nDOiW8
— ? ?? (@iam_so_done) July 16, 2023
And simp @ICC wants to give equal payment to women's teams who can't even chase 153
— Vaibhav (@your_nemesis06) July 16, 2023
Achieved dhobi's legacy
— ??? ????? ????? (@Shivam__0000) July 16, 2023
Bartan dhone ka samay aa gaya hai @BCCIWomen
— ?????? ? (@Rishabtweetz) July 16, 2023
Very poor captaincy by Rohit Sharma
— Mel (@MythicalMelmet1) July 16, 2023
