Women's ODI World Cup: India Beat Bangladesh by 110 Runs, Stay in SF Contention

Yastika Bhatia scored a fighting half century in the Women's ODI World Cup match vs Bangladesh.

(Photo: ICC)

Sneh Rana's 4/30, along with Jhulan's 2/19 and Pooja Vastrakar's 2/26 has helped the Indian cruise to a 110-run victory over Bangladesh in what was a must-win game for them in the 2022 ICC Women's ODI World Cup.

The win helped the runners-up of the 2017 edition of the tournament move up to third spot on the points table, with three wins and an equal number of losses. But more importantly, it's the healthy +0.768 Net Run Rate (NRR) that could help India make the semifinal knockouts if multiple teams finish on identical points after the group stage.

Not to forget that the Mithali Raj-led India will also have to win their last league game against South Africa at Christchurch on March 27.

Earlier, India's top-order batter Yastika Bhatia scored a patient fifty, while Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar came up with late-innings flurry as the team posted a respectable 229/7.

After opting to bat first, a 74-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma got the team to the perfect start but Bangladesh picked three big wickets within two overs to reduce Indian to 74/3 in 15.4 overs. Nahida Akter first got Smriti out for 30 when she tamely hit straight to Fargana Hoque and then Ritu Moni struck twice in two deliveries to send back Shafali on 42 and then got the big wicket of Indian skipper Mithali Raj, for a duck.

Shafali tried to hit one out of the ground and was stumped, before skipper Mithali Raj hit her first ball straight to Fahima Khatun at cover.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Yastika Bhatia then plugged the fall of wickets, stitching together a 34-run stand before Hoque's direct hit caught Harmanpreet short of her crease.

Yastika continued to ensure the scorecard kept ticking as she next helped add 54 runs alongside Richa Ghosh for the fifth wicket, while also scoring her half century. The wicketkeeper-batter took the attack to the bowlers early on, smashing Lata Mondal for consecutive boundaries in the 30th over. The duo kept finding the boundaries regularly but just when they looked set, Ghosh was caught-behind trying to cut a ball that was too close to the body.

India were 176/6 in 43.1 overs when Ritu Moni struck once again, picking the wicket of Yastika, on 50.

At 180/6 at the end of 44th over, India needed to finish well and Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar did just that. Their partnership of 48 in 38 balls propelled India to 229/7.

India, who will be keen to cement their spot inside the top-four with a victory, made one change to their playing XI with Poonam Yadav replacing Meghna Singh.

Bangladesh made two changes to their side, with Murshida Khatun and Lata Mondal included for Shamima Sultana and Fariha Trisna. A lower order charge saw Pooja Vastrakar stay unbeaten on 30 while Sneh Rana made 27 to help India post 229/7.

Bangladesh's chase never really took off as only five batters registered double-digit scores, with Salma Khatun top-scoring with 32.

Defending 230, India chose to open the bowling with pace-bowling stalwart Jhulan Goswami and spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Rajeshwari broke through first by dismissing Sharmin Akter while the veteran pacer kept things tight at the other end. India struck once again in the Powerplay through Pooja Vastrakar, who trapped Fargana Hoque in front of the stumps.

With spinners operating at both ends on a slow track, Bangladesh found getting runs tough. Sneh Rana, who created several chances in her first spell, was rewarded with the wicket of Nigar Sultana, who holed out at mid-on attempting to accelerate. Poonam Yadav claimed her first World Cup wicket by dismissing Murshida Khatun, whose 54-ball 19-run innings came to an end in the 16th over.

Rumana Ahmed's stay at the crease didn't last long either, with Rana picking up her second wicket of the game as Bangladesh lost half their side. Lata Mondal and Salma Khatun provided some resistance with a 40-run stand before Goswami got in on the act to remove Khatun.

Rana picked up wickets in consecutive overs and eventually finished with a four-for. Goswami finished things off with a wonderful yorker to dismiss Ritu Moni as Bangladesh fell short by 110 runs.