Asian Games | India Qualify For Semi-Final After Shafali Verma Slams Historic Fifty Vs Malaysia
Shafali Verma became the first Indian batter to score 50 in Asian Games [X.com]
India Women's team kicked off their Asian Games 2023 campaign with a no-result after rain played spoilsport against Malaysia Women in Quarter Final 1 at Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field in Hangzhou.
Despite the abandonment, India have qualified for the semi-finals of the showpiece event on account of being the higher-seeded team.
Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues Hammer Malaysian Bowlers
Asked to bat, India openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma came out with intent and charged their way to a quick 50-run stand. Skipper Mandhana looked in silken touch, scoring 27 off 16, which included five fours before Mahirah Izzati Ismail drew first blood.
Ismail induced a fall short from Mandhana, which Ainna Hamizah Hashim pounced at backward point. Soon, rain interrupted play, and players went off the field for over one hour and returned for a truncated encounter. The 20-overs tie was reduced to a 15-overs match.
Verma, joined by Jemimah Rodrigues, took no time to settle and launched a front assault on Malayasian bowlers, who looked taken aback.
India's Under-19 Women's World Cup-winning skipper reached her fifty in no time, accelerating from 38 from 22 balls to 50 from 31 deliveries. Thus, Verma also became the first Indian batter to slam a half-century in an Asian Games encounter.
The pair of Verma and Rodrigues added 86 runs for the second wicket before the former fell for 67.
Verma played the wrong line and had the ball strike her pads straight in line with the stumps.
Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh provided late impetus to the innings, and scored a quick-fire seven-ball 21, taking India's total to 173. Rodrigues played the perfect sheet anchor role scoring 47 off 29 herself.
Rain plays spoilsport
Openers Ainna Hamizah Hashim and captain Winifred Duraisingham faced one ball apiece before a downpour the match was abandoned with Malaysia scoring one run in 0.2 overs, still needing 173 to win.
India's semi-finals clash will take place on September 24.
Brief Scores
India: 173 for 2 (15 overs)
Shafali Verma 67 (39), Jemimah Rodrigues 47* (29);
Mahirah Izzati Ismail 1 - 28 (3), Mas Elysa 1 - 36 (2)
Malaysia: 1 for 0 (0.2 overs)|
Ainna Hamizah Hashim 1* (1), Winifred Duraisingham 0* (1);
Pooja Vastrakar 0 - 1 (0.2)
Match Abandoned, India qualified for semi final.
 "Vishal Mehra")
