India Women VS Bangladesh Women Match ball by ball Commentary

At the peak of their powers - India walked into this semifinal as the clear favourites, and they backed that tag up sincerely. They have not missed a single Women's Asia Cup finale and will now wait for the second finalist. It will be decided through the second semifinal, which will be played between defending champions Sri Lanka Women and Pakistan Women on Friday, 11th September. The first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 2.30 pm GMT (8 pm IST), but our buildup will begin well in advance. CIAO!

The victorious Indian captain - Harmanpreet Kaur says that she's happy with how things are going. Adds that there was value in giving the ball a rip in the second innings as well and the bowlers used the pitch well. Further, Harman says that the small partnerships worked really well and these small things matter a lot in the bigger picture, lauding the likes of Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Shafali Verma receives the award for her fearless batting. She scored a match-winning 64 (40), which included 7 fours and 3 sixes. On battling the conditions during her knock, Shafali Verma admits the humidity got to her out there, to the point where breathing itself became a challenge at times. She says the focus was on staying composed, controlling her breathing, and leaning on grounded strokes as she worked to build her innings. On being asked about the aggression in the Powerplay, she says it was very much by design, pointing out that scoring is simply easier in those first six overs. She sees cashing in during that phase, finding the fours and sixes, as very much her role in the side.

The captain of Bangladesh Women - Nigar Sultana starts by saying that they didn't bowl to the best of their abilities today and they also had lapses in the field. Feels that it wasn't pressure that got to them but rather just a bad day. Sultana further higlights the fact that they bowled well and created chances, which they didn't take and they didn't have a good Powerplay with the bat. She ends by saying that they are doing well in limited overs cricket, but want to play a complete game.

... Time for the post-match Presentation ...

Shafali, the fearless - The scorecard flattered India more than the performance deserved. Shafali Verma's 64 off 40 balls anchored the total, surviving three dropped catches and a run-out chance gone begging, an innings gifted almost as much as it was earned. Mandhana fell cheap, and neither Harmanpreet Kaur nor Pratika Rawal ever found fluency, leaving it to Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh down the order to rescue things from looking distinctly ordinary. Bangladesh's seamers, Marufa Akter and Sultana Khatun, leaked runs, but the spinners kept things tight enough to leave 149 within reach despite the imperfections.

Hunted in a pack - India will be delighted with how they bowled, and especially with how the spin quartet stepped up when it mattered. Sree Charani struck first again, finishing with excellent figures of 1/14 that included a wicket maiden, while Deepti Sharma stayed at her consistent best with a three-wicket haul. Prema Rawat impressed too, and between the four of them, the spinners kept their foot on Bangladesh's throat throughout, never letting them settle or breathe freely. One area India will need to introspect on is their ground fielding, with several straightforward chances going down that they'd ordinarily expect to hold. It was that kind of evening where catches went begging on both sides, but on balance, India were just that little bit better.

Heartbreak for Tigresses - Nothing went right in the chase for Bangladesh. Dilara Akter and Juairiya Ferdous gave them a positive start up top, but the fragile batting behind them couldn't absorb the pressure. Nigar Sultana was the one they leaned on to steady things, but her wicket fell at the worst possible moment, and from there it was one dismissal after another as the side simply caved under the weight of the occasion. Shorna Akter kept fighting alone till the end, but she was always fighting a battle that was already long lost.

5.41 pm GMT (11.11 pm IST) - This is dominance in its purest form, and once again India Women remind everyone why they are considered Asia's cricketing gold standard. The tradition continues unbroken, as they stroll into their 10th straight Women's Asia Cup final. Not only does the unbeaten run stay intact, but they have steamrolled every side put in front of them, with contributions coming from all corners, with bat and ball alike.