Nisshin, Sept. 20 -- Reigning champions India stormed into the women's cricket T20I final at the Asian Games for a second successive edition on Sunday, confirming at least a silver medal and taking India's medal tally to four at the continental showpiece.
India already have won two silver medals in
shooting and an assured bronze in mixed martial arts, while the women's cricket team added another confirmed medal by advancing to the gold-medal match with a crushing 114-run win over Bangladesh.
Shafali Verma peeled off her maiden T20I century, an unbeaten 100 off just 49 balls, to power India to a formidable 195 for four after opting to bat.
The Bangladesh chase then unravelled almost immediately as wickets fell at regular intervals, with the side eventually bowled out for just 81 in 15.4 overs. It was India's second-biggest win by runs against Bangladesh.
India will now face Sri Lanka in the gold-medal match on Tuesday, in a repeat of the last edition's final.
The two sides also clashed in the Women's T20 Asia Cup final last Sunday with India winning by 72 runs.
Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by eight wickets in the first semifinal on Sunday.
Pakistan will now face Bangladesh for the bronze in the first match on Tuesday.
Nandani Sharma returned 4-0-25-3 and even came close to taking a hat-trick in the 11th over.
For Bangladesh, opener Dilara Akter with a 23-ball 27, studded with four fours and a six, was the only batter to provide any resistance as four of the top six batters fell for single-digit scores.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.