Image Credit: twitter.com/@EurosportIN
While attempting to get past the “Mankading” issue, an in-form India will want to build on the momentum of a historic ODI series sweep in England when they take on Sri Lanka in the opening match of the women’s Asia Cup T20 competition on Saturday.
Since the tournament’s establishment in 2004, India has won every Asia Cup trophy, except their lone defeat in the most recent edition. When the Asia Cup switched from ODI to T20 format in 2012, India won twice while losing to Bangladesh in the final match of the 2018 tournament.
India would want to reassert their continental leadership in the league, which makes a four-year sabbatical. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the event’s 2020 edition in Bangladesh was first pushed out to 2021 and then abandoned entirely.
Advertisement
India lost 1-2 on the road to England earlier this month following their historic silver medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where women’s T20 cricket was launched.
Advertisement
However, the Harmanpreet-led team had a surprising reversal in the one-day internationals, totally dominating England 3-0 to win the series and bring the legendary Indian bowler Jhulan Goswami’s international career to a memorable conclusion. But after Deepti Sharma, an all-rounder, ran out Charlie Dean in the third ODI to seal the series, the English batter backed up at the non-end, the striker reigniting a lively debate over the spirit of the game.
To concentrate on the Asia Cup and put the incident behind them, the Indian team would be keen to do so. Harmanpreet has been domineering on the team front. The bats of Shafali Verma, Sabbhineni Meghana, and Dayalan Hemalatha must speak for them; Smriti Mandhana is also in good form. India’s chances are improved by Jemimah Rodrigues’ coming back to the team after missing the tour of England owing to a hand injury. The Commonwealth Games’ replacement for the wicket-keeper position, Richa Ghosh, made a comeback in England.
Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama will be the island nation’s middle order, and Inoka Ranaweera and Oshadi Ranasinghe’s spinners will be a major part of the bowling assault.
Seven teams are competing in the tournament: Bangladesh, the hosts, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India. Six total matches will be played between each team in a round-robin style, with the top four teams moving on to the semi-finals.
Advertisement
