India’s pace duo of Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar shone brightly as they led their team to a resounding 44-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening women’s T20I match on Sunday. Opting to bat first, India’s skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Yastika Bhatia provided stability in the middle order, helping India post a total of 145 for seven.
In response, Bangladesh struggled to chase down the target as Indian bowlers, led by Renuka, put up a stellar performance to restrict the hosts to 101 for 8. Skipper Nigar Sultana fought a lone battle with a gritty 51 off 48 balls, but lacked support from her teammates.
Renuka was the standout performer with the ball, picking up crucial wickets to dismantle the Bangladesh batting line-up. Experienced spinner Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar also made significant contributions with the ball, as India’s bowlers dominated the proceedings.
Earlier in the match, charismatic opener Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma provided a solid start for India, with Yastika and Harmanpreet contributing valuable runs in the middle overs. Despite losing a few quick wickets towards the end, India managed to post a competitive total on a slow wicket.
The victory in the first T20I match sets the tone for the rest of the series, which serves as a preparation for the upcoming T20I World Cup in Bangladesh later this year. India will look to carry forward the momentum from this win and continue their winning streak in the remaining matches of the series.