Bangladesh women vs India women first T20I | Harmanpreet, spinners star in easy Indian win

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur started the new international season with a smashing half-century as the Indian women’s team cantered to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the opening T20 International in MIrpur on July 9. Opting to bowl, the Indian spinners used the conditions to their advantage and restricted Bangladesh to a meagre 114 for 5.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur started the new international season with a smashing half-century as the Indian women's team cantered to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the opening T20 International in MIrpur on July 9.

Opting to bowl, the Indian spinners used the conditions to their advantage and restricted Bangladesh to a meagre 114 for 5.

In reply, Harmanpreet (54 not out 35 balls) and her deputy Smriti Mandhana (38 off 34 balls) added 70 runs for the third wicket to chase down the target in just 16.2 overs.

The skipper hit six boundaries and two sixes and made best use of the two reprieves that she got off left-arm spinner Nahida Akter's bowling.

Mandhana was the pace-setter for India as she hit some delectable boundaries, five of them in all, including a rasping square cut off seamer Marufa Akter and an inside out lofted cover-drive. They were shots out of top drawer.

This was after the Indian bowlers set it up perfectly for the batters, who had to hardly break a sweat while chasing down an easy target.

The spin attack, led by the experienced Deepti Sharma (0/14 in 4 overs), along with debutants — slow left arm orthodox Anusha Bareddy (0/24 in 4 overs) and off-break bowler Minnu Manni (1/21 in 3 overs) — executed skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's plan of bowling on one side of the wicket perfectly.