On a fresh pitch with wind blowing across, India were in early trouble after losing three wickets in power-play. But Harmanpreet\u2019s 66 off 47 balls, laced with seven fours and a six, steadied India\u2019s ship. It was followed by Richa applying perfect finishing touches with a whirlwind 64 not out off 29 balls, laced with 12 fours and a six, including hitting 37 runs off the last two overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Harmanpreet and Richa added 75 runs off 45 balls for the fifth wicket stand, as India made a 200+ total for the first time in women\u2019s T20Is. Their score of 201\/5 is now the highest ever score in the history of Women's Asia Cup in T20 format, surpassing the 181\/4 which was also hit by India against Malaysia in 2022.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pushed into batting first, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma hit three boundaries collectively in the first two overs. But in a bid to loft the ball against Kavisha Egodage, Smriti mistimed her shot and was caught by mid-off in the third over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shafali went after UAE's bowling by slog-sweeping and slapping Kavisha for a six and four respectively, followed by collecting three more boundaries in quick succession. But while pulling on a short and wide ball against Samaira Dharnidharka in the fifth over, Shafali got the bottom edge and was caught by the keeper.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Dayalan Hemalatha fell without doing much in last over of power-play \u2013 going back to pull Heena Hotchandani, but was beaten for pace and castled. Harmanpreet got three leg-side boundaries, apart from opening her bat face late to get one through the off-side to bring up the half-century of her stand with Jemimah Rodrigues, who was constantly rotating strike.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Though Jemimah fell by lobbing a fuller ball to mid-off against Kavisha, Richa ensured that India didn\u2019t let go of its good tempo. She straightaway got into the boundary-hitting spree by driving Esha Oza for four, followed by lofting Kavisha over long-off for six.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The big over which India were looking for came in the 15th over when Richa pierced the off-side gap, followed by driving, pulling, and square-driving to hit four boundaries in an 18-run over. Richa and Harmanpreet continued to hit boundaries easily before the latter reached her fifty in 41 balls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Though Jemimah fell by lobbing a fuller ball to mid-off against Kavisha, Richa ensured that India didn\u2019t let go of its good tempo. She straightaway got into the boundary-hitting spree by driving Esha Oza for four, followed by lofting Kavisha over long-off for six.<\/p>\r\n\r\n