With a 17-run win against arch-rivals Pakistan in the final on Sunday, India Women retained the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup, 2016. With an unbeaten 65-ball 73 Mithali Raj set up the match for the defending champions after electing to bat at the Asian Institute of Technology Ground, Bangkok. Defending the 121-run total, the spinners dealt blows at crucial junctures to restrict Pakistan to just 104/6, helping India remain unbeaten in the tournament.
Opening the innings for India, Mithali held the innings together with a gracefully compiled knock to power the team to a competitive total in the grand finale. While Asmavia Iqbal bowled a 12-ball first over ridden with wides, the opener showed intent by driving her through the covers off the third delivery. She continued to drive and punch the bowlers as she posted her 10th half-century in the shortest format of the game.
However, while Mithali looked in control at one end, she couldn’t find enough support to build partnerships. With 24 runs on the board, Smriti Mandhana’s mishit on the off-side was caught by Iqbal running backwards. The senior opener continued to punish the bowlers in the company of S Meghana. While boundaries came at regular intervals, Mithali launched Nida Dar to the sight screen for six. However, with the partnership on 44, the No 3 batter was run out for nine. In the following over Veda Krishnamurthy was trapped lbw by Sadia Yousuf. Harmanpreet then joined Mithali in adding 16 runs to the total with some quick running between the wickets before being castled by Amin.
Jhulan Goswami, who then joined Mithali in the middle played a 15-ball 17-run cameo to boost the total. She swept Dar over deep mid-wicket for six and later dispatched Sana Mir over mid-wicket for another six. However, while attempting a similar shot, she was caught near the ropes off the off-spinner on the next ball. With a ball left in the innings, Anuja Patil joined the opener, who then took a single to set Pakistan a 122-run target. During her knock, Mithali surpassed her previous best T20I score of 67 runs.
India opened the bowling with Ekta Bisht who was dispatched to the boundary by Pakistan openers – Ayesha Zafar and Javeria Wadood - as they collected 10 runs off the first over. She was then replaced by Goswami while Patil bowled from the other end. Scoring at six runs an over, they had put together 24 runs in four overs when the pacer rattled Zafar’s stumps to pick her 50th T20 wicket and give India their first breakthrough.
In the next over, Iqbal dragged a Shikha Pandey delivery onto the stumps to leave Pakistan 28 for two in the sixth over. Wadood continued to hold up one end as she looked to keep the team in the chase. With Bismah Maroof she had taken the team to 56 in the tenth over when she departed hitting Bisht to towards Harmanpreet at covers. After 19 runs, Patil caught Maroof off her own bowling to leave Pakistan on 75 for four. In the next, Nain Abidi coming down the track to Preeti Bose was stumped while Irma Javed was stumped off Bisht with Pakistan on 81 for six. The spinners had tipped the match in India’s favour.
With 24 runs required off 16 balls it was an uphill task for Pakistan’s lower-order. Bowling herself in the death over, Harmanpreet Kaur conceded only one run in her first over to push the opposition on the back foot. Nida Rashid and Mir picked singles and twos in the last three overs but couldn’t keep up with the asking run rate.
Player of the Match: Mithali Raj for her match-winning unbeaten 73-run knock
Player of the Series: Mithali Raj for finishing as the highest run-getter in the tournament with 220 runs.
