India beat Bangladesh convincingly at the Women's World Cup. With six points, they are now placed third on the points table. Two key innings from Yastika Bhatia and Shafali Verma and handy cameos from Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar took India to 229/7. Their spinners then put a stranglehold on the Bangladesh batters from the start to seal a 110-run win.
A win against South Africa will take the West Indies to eight points, which will mean that India will need to beat South Africa as well. England are also likely to finish on eight points, as their last two matches are against Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Mithali Raj won the toss here and opted to bat. India brought in leg spinner Poonam Yadav for seamer Meghna Singh. Bangladesh, too, replaced Shamima Sultana and Fariha Trishna for Murshida Khatun and Lata Mondal. Captain Nigar Sultana assumed wicketkeeping responsibilities.
India began strongly. The openers, Smriti Mandhana and Verma, added 52 in the first 10 overs. The partnership was broken by Nahida Akter, who got Mandhana in the 15th over. India, 74 at that point, suddenly slipped to 80/3 when Ritu Moni got Verma (42) and Mithali Raj for golden duck.
Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur took the score to 108 before Kaur was brilliantly run out by Fargana Hoque with a direct throw. Bhatia and Richa Ghosh (26) then added 54 in 11.3 overs before Akter claimed the latter. Bhatia, too, fell to Ritu just after completing her fifty.
This brought Rana and Vastrakar together, and both continued their good hitting form, adding 48 runs in just 6.2 overs. Rana was dismissed in the last over over for a 23-ball 27, while Vastrakar remained unbeaten on 30 off 33 balls. Ritu was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers with 3 for 37.
The Indian opening bowlers, Jhulan Goswami and Rajeshwari Gayakwad, bowled accurately with the new ball. Bangladesh managed only 12 from the first five overs, including a six by Murshida Khatun – the first for Bangladesh in World Cup cricket. Gayakwad struck first, dismissing Sharmin Akhter in the sixth over. Vastrakar soon got Fargana for a duck and Bangladesh were 15/2 in the ninth over.
With Rana and Yadav joining in, they soon became 35/5. Rana and Gayakwad, the pick of the Indian bowlers, provided no room to the Bangladeshi batters to score freely. Rana finished with 4-30, her career-best, and Gayakwad with 1-15.
Vastrakar and Goswami also chipped in with two wickets each as Bangladesh were eventually all out for just 119 in the 41st over. Salma Khatun (32) and Mondal (24) added 40, the biggest stand for Bangladesh in the match. India’s net run rate of +0.768 is next to only Australia's.
India 229/7 in 50 overs (Yastika Bhatia 50; Ritu Moni 3-37) beat Bangladesh 119 in 40.3 overs (Salma Khatun 32; Sneh Rana 4-30, Jhulan Goswami 2-19) by 110 runs. Player of the Match: Yastika Bhatia.