INDIA BEAT BANGLADESH AND REMAIN IN CONTENTION FOR KNOCKOUTS

ICC 10th WOMEN's WORLD CUP - Match 23 –  India v Bangladesh at Manchester on 25 June 2026

Result – India beat Bangladesh by 5 wickets
Points – India 2(6), Bangladesh 0(4)
Toss – Bangladesh
Umpires – Kim Cotton, Saleema Imtiaz, Anna Harris (TV)
Player of the Match – Shafali Varma
Match Centre Link - You can view the scorecard, watch highlights and engage more at Match Centre of ICC. The match can be accessed here. 

The 23^th Match of the 10^th T20 World Cup featured neighbours India and Bangladesh at Manchester. 25 June is a special day for Indian cricket fans from test beginnings to first World Cup win. On that auspicious day, India had to stay alive in the competition with a convincing win over Bangladesh. Of course the most important task would be to oust Australia on Sunday. On the other side, Bangladesh is making good strides as a cricketing team and cannot be taken lightly. While India and South Africa in the following match against Ireland were expected to win, they needed to show dominance in their wins with an outside thought on NRR as well.  While BAN played unchanged, IND brought in Renuka & Radha in place of Arundhathi & Prema.

BANGLADESH INNINGS

DROP AND DOWN
BAN won the toss and chose to bat. Dilara and Juairiya were the openers for BAN as Shafali Varma once again opened the bowling for India. Shafali started with her length ball and kept hitting the lengths as BAN could only manage 3 runs. Renuka back into the side looked jaded as she bowled 3 wides in the 2^nd over. However she was back with her early breakthroughs when Dilhara pulled the final ball of the 2^nd over straight to Sreecharani at deep square leg. Sreecharani then came to bowl the 3^rd over and Juairiya could just make two twos amidst four dots. Renuka and wide was back in the 4^th over and BAN finally brought in their first boundary. Juairiya played a beautiful straight drive in the 2^nd ball. After 3 dots, a frustrated Juairiya hit a full length ball  to the deep and Radha continued her dropping spree. To make things worse, the ball ran to the boundary. Sreecharani continued from the other end and so did the drop catches. In the 2^nd ball of the over, Sobana struck the ball straight to Nandani who dropped it on the dive. Juairiya and Sobana celebrated with a boundary each in the over. Shafali came to close the power play and Juairiya powered a boundary over the bowler in the 2^nd ball. BAN were 40/1 after the power play. IND needed to take wickets (read catches) and ensure a slowdown in middle overs. BAN needed to bat themselves to strength.

STEADY BUT SLOW
Nandani bowled the 7^th over and like it happens most of the time in this World Cup conceded 7 runs. She also received a warning for stepping into the danger zone. Deepti was brought in for the 8^th over and she operated with verve to concede just 4 runs. Nandani started the 9^th over with a big LBW appeal. The umpire was clear that it was going down the leg side and refused. Harmanpreet seemed to concur and opted out of review. In the next ball, Juairiya’s sweep found the bottom edge and swiftly ran to the boundary ropes. Nandani followed with a no ball & wide. She also received another warning. Howerver Nandani brought India alive in the 5^th ball when Juairiya trying to hit the ball straight hit it without power and Nandani took an excellent catch on follow through. Deepti once again completed a quick four run over. At half way mark BAN were 63/2 and needed a partnership between senior pros on the crease, Sobana and Nigar. Radha playing her first match as a player began with a wide. But she conceded just 6 in the 11^th over. Renuka bowled with keeper up for the 12^th over and was unfortunate that a leading edge of the first ball went for a boundary. The over went for six runs and India would take it. Radha continued from other end and after 4 singles of 4 balls struck in the 5^th ball. Radha spun the ball in and Sobana tried to make room and go over mid off. But the ball went straight and high to Deepti who caught it easily. BAN badly needed a move on and Nandani provided it in the 13^th over. Nandani started the over with a ball that went outside the stumps and Nigar nonchalantly pushed it between short third & backward point for a boundary. After conceding 6 runs in the next 4 balls, Nandani bowled the 5^th ball slow and wide and Nigar steered it through vacant backward point for another boundary. Nandani bowled a full toss to close the over and Nigar coolly swept it to deep square leg for another boundary. Sreecharani was entrusted the next over and she ensured no boundaries and extras and conceded just 4. BAN brought their 100 at end of that over. Deepti continued from the other end and BAN could just make 6 out of her over. At end of 16 overs, BAN were 106/3 with Nigar & Sharmin at the crease. They have been steady but quite slow. With Shorna & Ritu to follow, 140 was the maximum score I could think off.

INDIA ON A HIGH
Radha struck in the first ball of the 17^th over when she drew Nigar in, beat her by turn and Richa did the rest. The Akters, Shorna & Sharmin had their task cut out. But Radha finished the remaining over with just singles. BAN were at Nelson 111/4 as Deepti bowled the 18^th over. Deepti started with a couple of singles and overstepped the 3^rd ball. Shorna made full use of the free hit and went past cover for a boundary. Deepti completed the next 3 balls by concedijg just 2 singles. BAN surprised one and all when Sharmin retired out after the over. Radha was entrusted the penultimate over. Ritu started the over briskly with a couple of twos and swept the 3^rd ball for the 13^th boundary of BAN innings. She tried to cut the 4^th ball to the off side but Radha’s cutter shattered her stumps. Rabeya took a single first ball and Shorna drove the last ball in the gap between cover and mid off for a lovely boundary. Sreecharani who bowled well but was wicketless came to close the innings. She had Shorna caught at point by Renuka in the 3^rd ball and Nahida holing out to Jemi at long on in the 5^th ball. Despite a misfield in the last ball, Sreecharani just gave 3 runs and took 2 wickets. She also became the Indian bowler with maximum wickets in a T20I World Cup. India finished on a high. But I thought Indian bowlers who were capable of bowling out the opposition failed in that task. BAN finished at 136/8 and IND shouldn’t take more than 14 overs for the chase to ensure momentum ahead of must win AUS match.

 INDIA INNINGS

SHAFALI ON SONG
IND opened with Smriti & Shafali while BAN opened with Marufa. India needed one or both of the openers to fire so that they finish quick and well. Smriti started with a single and Shafali started with a powerful drive between the bowler and mid off that raced to the boundary. A dot ball later, Shafali edged one and Nigar missed the catch as she couldn’t dive to perfection. Shafali sent one down extra cover in the 5^th ball for the 2^nd boundary. IND were 11 after first over. Shafali made it 12 in the 2^nd over bowled by Sanjida with a sixer over long on in the 2^nd ball and a straight drive to long off in the 4^th ball for a four. Smriti opened her boundary account with a lucky under edge that brushed past Nigar for a boundary. She wasn’t lucky next ball as she mistimed her cover drive and Rabeya at cover came up with a well judged low catch that was confirmed clean via TV replays. A boundary in the first ball by Shafali and one in the last ball by Yastika ensured India scored 11 in the 4^th over bowled by Ritu. Shafali & Yastika struck a boundary each in the 5^th over bowled by Marufa to score 9 of the over. The boundaries hit by Shafali were all power and those by Yastika were all timing and placement. Sanjida came to close the power play and Shafali played two lovely lofts over the cover for two boundaries. IND were 63/1 at close of power play. They still required 74 from 16 and if Shafali continues her domination, IND looked finishing it quickly. However with Shafali, you can never predict.

A LITTLE LATE AND LESS CONVINCING
Ritu Moni had a good start to the middle overs conceding just 4 runs in the 7^th over thanks to her sticking to line and placing fielders properly. Rabeya started with a single each to Shafali and Yastika. She bowled the third one slightly wide and Shafali leashed the delivery over extra cover to bring up her 29 ball fifty. To Rabeya’s credit, she kept Shafali quiet for rest of the over with a hat trick of dot balls. Nahida was finally brought in and she brought the much needed wicket of Shafali. In the 4^th ball of the 9^th over, Shafali got an edge trying to cut Nahida and the ball went near the stumps. Nigar didn’t collect it cleanly but hit the stumps before Shafali could make her way to the crease. Richa was promoted but was greeted with a couple of dot balls by Nahida. Rabeya had a tough return catch chance in her first ball with Yastika being the beneficiary. Yastika celebrated it with sweep shot for four. She also cut the next ball fine but the persistent point fielder chased the ball just before the boundary to save a run. Even then it was just a 9 run over. BAN werent giving up as they conceded just 22 in 4 overs after power play and got the prize wicket of Shafali. At 85/2 in 10, IND needed a move on. Nahida came in to bowl the 11^th & Richa cut her effectively in the 3^rd & 4^th balls for successive boundaries. Nahida won an LBW appeal which was turned down by DRS citing impact. This decision would definitely have an impact in IND chase. Ritu Moni struck in the first ball of 12^th over when Yastika in a bid to launch her over cover gave catching practice to Rabeya. Ritu restricted IND to just 3 runs in the over. Rabeya won an LBW appeal this time against Richa in the 2^nd ball of 13^th over. The DRS concurred with the umpire and Richa had to make way for her skipper. The 13^th over bowled by Rabeya and the 14^th over bowled by Nahida kept IND confined to 4 and 3 runs respectively. At 104/4 after 14, IND didn’t look convincing though they looked winning. A couple of run out chances later, Jemi brought impetus to the chase in 15^th over (bowled by Sanjida) when she went one knee over long on for a sixer and followed it up a cover drive for a boundary. Ritu came back for the 16^th over and Jemi had successive boundaries in the 2^nd & 3^rd balls, on the either sides of the wicket. Ritu got success in the 4^th ball when Jemi outside edged her and Marufa took the catch amidst chaos at the short third. IND were 130/5 after 16 overs and needed just 7 of four overs. Nahida started with a couple of dots before Harman brought her first boundary with a sweep. Harman survived another run out scare and got Deepti to strike. Deepti charged down and took the ball on full toss and hoisted it over long on to finish the chase for IND. IND finished with 5 wickets and 3 overs to spare. Shafali’s brilliance saved the day for IND. The middle order was once again tested and they need to plan and deliver batter in the do or die clash on Sunday against the mighty Aussies. BAN didn’t impress as much as they had in previous matches. 

Images Courtesy - ICC/Cricinfo