India bowled out Malaysia for 27.
Malaysia was bowled out for just 27 runs by India in their opening Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup match, with as many as six batswomen failing to score a single run. India, batting first, posted a massive total of 170 runs after the loss of just three wickets. Senior player Mithali Raj fell three runs short of a century at the end of India’s innings. Hosts Malaysia struggled to post runs on the scoreboard as they were bowled out in 13.4 overs at Kinrara Academy Oval in Kaula Lumpur.
India’s Pooja Vastrakar grabbed three wickets for just six runs with her medium pace while the spin duo of Anuja Patil and Poonam Yadav, who did not concede any run, took two wickets apiece as the Indian bowlers ran riot over the clueless Malaysians.
Only five Malaysian batswomen opened their account and none could manage to make a score in double-figures. Sasha Azmi top-scored with nine runs from 10 balls.
Malaysia lost half of their side within five overs, getting reduced to 12 for 5. Captain Winifred Duraisingam (5 off 21 balls) and Zumika Azmi (4 off 15 balls) stayed at the crease for long with any substantial contribution as India completed a massive victory.
Earlier, India did not have the best of starts as they were 35 for 2 just after the Powerplay overs. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur then gave the impetus to the Indian innings with her 23-ball 32.
But the day belonged to senior player Mithali, who batted through the 20 overs with a strike rate of 140.57. She hit 13 fours and a six in her 69-ball unbeaten knock. She, however, could not find the boundary in the last two overs when she was eight away from a century. Mithali’s 86-run stand with Harmanpreet came off just 53 balls and she closed the innings off with Deepti Sharma.
With PTI inputs