BAN v IND: Radha Yadav shines as India sweep the series 5-0

India whitewashed Bangladesh 5-0 after registering a clinical 21-run win in the fifth and final T20I at the Sylhet Cricket Stadium on Thursday (May 9). The hosts could only score 135 for six while chasing a target of 157. Radha Yadav continued to shine with a three-fer to earn both the player of the match and player of the series awards. Earlier quick 30s from Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Dayalan Hemalatha, and the final flourish from Richa Ghosh helped India to a competitive total.

Opening flourish

Opting to bat first under a clear sky, Mandhana and Shafali Verma set the tone for India. Mandhana was particularly aggressive, crafting her innings beautifully with strokes all around the wicket. She was especially severe on anything pitched outside off, driving elegantly through the covers. Her innings, however, ended abruptly when Nahida Akter cleverly trapped her in front of the wicket with a delivery that turned just enough to challenge the batter. Although it seemed like the impact was outside the off stump, the umpire had no hesitation in giving it out.

Shafali, on the other hand, displayed her usual flair but struggled to convert her start into a big score. After a few lofty hits, her aggression got the better of her, leading to a catch at long-on off the bowling of Sultana Khatun.

Middle order resilience

Following the dismissal of the openers, Harmanpreet and Hemalatha took over the reins. The former played a captain's knock, mixing caution with her natural aggression. She found gaps with precision and navigated the spinners skillfully. Hemalatha provided the perfect foil, launching into the Bangladesh bowling with a series of powerful shots down the ground. Her knock included two boundaries and two sixes and she added 60 runs for the third wicket with Harmanpreet.

Bangladesh’s fielding efforts were marred by dropped chances and misfields, which allowed India to maintain momentum throughout their innings. However, they removed Harmanpreet and Hemalatha in consecutive deliveries before Sajana Sajeevan also fell cheaply. It was Ghosh who went after the bowlers in the final overs to take India past the 150-run mark.

Bangladesh’s brave chase

In pursuit of 157, Bangladesh showed early promise but were soon stifled by the disciplined Indian bowling. Radha was the pick of the bowlers, spinning a web around the Bangladesh batters with her accurate deliveries and timely breakthroughs. The hosts were reduced to 52 for 5 at one stage with Asha Sobhana also picking up a wicket. 

From there, Shorifa Khatun and Ritu Moni provided some resistance with spirited knocks of 28 and 37 respectively. But the mounting required run rate proved too steep a hill for them to climb. Indian spinners ensured that Bangladesh fell short by 21 runs despite their late resurgence.

Fielding woes

India's fielding was a mixed bag of brilliant catches and a few lapses. While there were standout moments that highlighted their athletic prowess, the dropped catches and misfields were a reminder of the need for consistency in the field.

Harmanpreet acknowledged the team's calm approach throughout the series and the experience gained, particularly praising the impact of the Women's Premier League (WPL) in boosting the confidence of the players. Nigar Sultana Joty conceded that improvements in batting were necessary, especially in converting starts into substantial scores.

Looking ahead

As India revel in their series victory, the lessons learned and the form gained here are set to be crucial as they approach the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. For Bangladesh, the series exposed areas for development, providing them with clear objectives to work on in their domestic circuit before taking on future international challenges.

Brief Scores: India 156 for five in 20 overs (Dayalan Hemalatha 37, Smriti Mandhana 33; Nahida Akter 2/27) beat Bangladesh 135 for six in 20 overs (Ritu Moni 37, Shorifa Khatun 28; Radha Yadav 3/24) by 21 runs POTM: Radha Yadav, POTS: Radha Yadav