In a thrilling showcase of women’s cricket prowess, India and Pakistan’s teams advanced to the semifinals of the Asian Games, although their respective matches were marred by persistent rain in Hangzhou.
India, taking the crease first in a Twenty20 showdown against Malaysia, showcased their dominance by amassing an impressive 173-2 within a rain-interrupted 15 overs. However, Malaysia only faced two balls and managed to reach a mere 1-0 in response before the relentless rain returned, leading to the unfortunate abandonment of the match, leaving it without a definitive result.
Crucially, India clinched their place in the semifinals due to their superior world ranking, a testament to their consistent performance on the global stage.
Simultaneously, the incessant showers prevented Pakistan from taking to the field against Indonesia in a later game, with not a single ball bowled, as the covers remained steadfastly in place at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field.
Looking ahead, India now eagerly awaits the outcome of Friday’s quarter-final clash between Bangladesh and Hong Kong to determine their opponent in the quest for a spot in the final. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s next challenge will be against the victor of the match between Sri Lanka and Thailand in the semifinals.
Individual brilliance was on full display during India’s truncated innings, with Jemimah Jessica Rodrigues remaining unbeaten with a commendable 47 off 29 balls. Star batter Shafali Verma delivered an electrifying performance, smashing 67 runs off just 39 balls, inclusive of five sixes and four fours, leaving Malaysia’s fielders in a state of disarray before the unfortunate washout.
Rodrigues expressed her satisfaction, stating, “The partnerships we had with everyone ticked off at the right time,” adding, “It gives us a lot of confidence. And we take it from here into the semi-finals. So it’s a big, big plus point for us.”
Malaysia’s coach, Thusara Kodikara, lamented the missed opportunity for his batters to test themselves against India’s formidable bowling attack, saying, “We are very disappointed because we wanted to play and give our best in this tournament.” He continued, “We are here to learn a lot of things from this kind of team, but we can’t do anything because of the rain. It was out of our control.”
Pakistan, with a history of success in women’s cricket at the Asian Games, having clinched gold in Guangzhou 2010 and Incheon 2014, aims to continue their winning legacy in this edition, despite the challenging weather conditions that disrupted their path to victory. Notably, women’s cricket was absent from the Jakarta Asiad five years ago, underscoring the significance of this event for the participating teams.
By AFP
