Kuala Lumpur, Jan 26 (UNI) India breezed into the semifinals of the ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup with a resounding eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in the Super Six stage. The victory, achieved in just 7.1 overs, ensured India’s qualification alongside Australia from Group 1 and South Africa from Group 2.
With the win, India are now firmly in the hunt for the title, while England and Nigeria, positioned second and third in Group 2, will battle for the remaining semifinal spot. Sri Lanka’s match against Scotland was abandoned due to rain, with both teams sharing the points.
After a rain delay, India opted to bowl first and immediately put Bangladesh under pressure. Left-arm spinner Vaishanvi Sharma was the star of the innings, taking 3 wickets for 15 runs and restricting Bangladesh to a paltry 64 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Bangladesh faced an early collapse, losing opener Mosammat Eva for a duck on the third ball. By the 10th over, they were struggling at 23 for 5. Despite a resilient knock from captain Sumaiya Akter (21 off 29 balls), Bangladesh failed to recover, with Vaishanvi claiming two wickets in the 17th over.
G Trisha, Shabnam Shakil, and VJ Joshitha each picked up a wicket, helping India maintain tight control throughout the innings. Vaishanvi’s remarkable performance has now made her the joint-leading wicket-taker of the tournament, with nine wickets.
In reply, India wasted no time chasing down the target. Trisha’s explosive 40, which included eight boundaries, was the highlight of the chase before she was dismissed in the seventh over. Captain Niki Prasad and Sanika Chalke then took India over the line, finishing the match with 77 balls to spare.
With their dominant win, India continues to showcase their prowess in the tournament and remains one of the favorites for the title. UNI BDN SSP