India ended their league matches with a perfect win record by beating Nepal by 82 runs in Dambulla on Tuesday (July 23). With this victory, India secured a spot in the semifinals. Earlier, Purla also confirmed their semifinal place from Group A by defeating UAE.

Shafali Verma’s Knock Leads India’s Strong Batting Performance

Shafali Verma’s impressive 81 off 48 balls and her 122-run opening stand with Dayalan Hemalatha (47 off 42) set the tone for India’s batting. Although the run rate slowed after the openers fell, India posted a strong total of 178. This proved too much for Nepal as Deepti Sharma (3-13) and Radha Yadav (2-12) shone with the ball.

Even without regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pooja Vastrakar, India had enough strength to comfortably outplay Nepal. The gap in experience and skill was clear, as India faced little challenge. Despite their limited resources and inexperience, Nepal fought hard, especially with the ball, to keep India from a bigger total after the strong opening stand. However, these small victories were all Nepal could achieve as India cruised to victory.

India’s batting phases

Powerplay: Strong start with new opening pair

Stand in captain Smriti Mandhana gave others a chance to bat, resulting in a new opening pair. Dayalan Hemalatha and Shafali Verma started, with Shafali quickly hitting boundaries to set the pace. Hemalatha struggled with timing, but India still had a solid start.

Middle overs: Shafali accelerates

Nepal hoped for relief after the powerplay, but Shafali kept hitting boundaries, including a big hit off Rubina Chhetry. Hemalatha also hit a six but couldn’t find rhythm. She was caught in the 12th over, but Shafali continued India’s strong progress.

Death overs: Nepal slows down India

Nepal did well to limit India to a run rate of just over 9 in the final overs. Shafali fell in the 16th over, slowing the pace. Jemimah Rodrigues’ 15-ball 28 pushed the total past 175, but Nepal managed to prevent a bigger score.

Nepal’s batting phases

Powerplay: India’s seamers strike early

Opener Samjhana Khadka started strong but was bowled by Arundhati Reddy in the second over. Kabita Kunwar also fell quickly. Nepal captain Indu Barma and Sita Rana Magar hit a few boundaries, but the overall scoring was too slow.

Middle overs: Nepal struggles against India’s bowlers

Nepal’s chase stalled after a weak powerplay. Arundhati Reddy and Deepti Sharma took crucial wickets, and the scoring rate dropped. Only three boundaries came in the middle overs, with Deepti and Radha Yadav controlling the game. Rubina Chhetry hit a six but soon fell to Deepti.

Death overs: India wraps up the game

The match was decided early, with Nepal only trying to bat out their overs. Bindu Rawal’s unbeaten 19-ball 17 helped Nepal avoid a complete collapse. Deepti and Radha each took a wicket, but Nepal’s last-wicket pair survived the full 20 overs.

Player of the Match (Shafali Verma)

“I just tried to back my strenghth, and it worked. The consistency is coming, but I want to finish better. To score 200 [like she did against South Africa recently] is a big thing for a batter, and I got a lot of confidence from it. I hope I continue to do well for the team.”

The Indian women’s cricket team put up an impressive score of 178 runs against Nepal in their final group stage match of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024. Opener Shafali Verma was the standout performer, scoring 81 runs off 48 balls.

India won the toss and chose to bat first, a decision that worked out well. Shafali Verma and Dayalan Hemalatha provided a strong start, bringing the team to 91 runs within the first 10 overs. They continued their good form, adding 23 more runs in the next 3 overs.

Shafali Verma shines with 81 runs

Shafali Verma along with Dayalan Hemalatha, laid a solid foundation for India with a partnership of 122 runs. Sita Rana Magar was Nepal’s top wicket taker, claiming 2 wickets for 25 runs in 4 overs.

Hemalatha was dismissed in the 14th over after scoring 47 runs from 42 balls. Soon after, Shafali was stumped while attempting a big shot having hit 12 fours and a six in her innings.

Final overs Surge: India scores 35 runs

After the fall of Hemalatha and Shafali, India’s scoring rate slowed down. They managed only 12 runs in the 16th and 17th overs. However, the team bounced back in the final 3 overs, scoring 35 runs to finish their innings at 178 runs.

Overall, India’s strong start and late surge ensured a solid total. Despite a slowdown in the middle overs, the team’s final push helped them set a challenging target for Nepal.