Women's Asia Cup 2022: India qualified for the final for the 8th consecutive time

Shafali Verma's knock of 42 followed by Deepti Sharma's three-wicket haul guided India to a 74 runs win over Thailand in the semifinal of the ongoing Women's Asia Cup 2022 here at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

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With this comprehensive victory, the Women in Blue secured a place in the final for the 8th time in its history. However, they will face the winner of semifinal 2- Pakistan vs Sri Lanka- on Saturday. The second semifinal between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played later on Thursday.

Chasing a target of 149 runs, Thailand got off to a bad start as Deepti Sharma dismissed Thai opener Nannapat Koncharoenkai for five runs in the third over of the innings.

For Thailand, Naruemol Chaiwai and Nattaya Boochatham both scored 21 runs respectively. For India, Deepti Sharma bagged three while Rajeshwari Gayakwad scalped two wickets.

Deepti bagged the third wicket of the innings in her last over, dismissing Sornnarin Tippoch for five runs. After that Renuka Singh broke the Thai middle order by dismissing Chanida Sutthiruang in the 8th over of the innings.

After 15 overs, Thailand was four wickets down for 50 and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Well-set batter Nattaya Boochatham was sent back to the pavilion, LBW to Sneh Rana for 21 off 29.

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Rajeshwari Gayakwad then delivered back-to-back two blows to the Thailand team. She dismissed skipper Naruemol Chaiwai for 21 and Phannita Maya for zero, leaving Thailand tottering at 72/8.

In the last two overs, India bowlers restricted Thai batters from scoring runs and forced them to end their innings at 74-9 to clinch a 74 runs victory and a spot in the Wome's Asia Cup final.

Brief score:

India Women: 148/6 (Shafali Verma 42, Harmanpreet Kaur 36; Sornnarin Tippoch 3-24)

Thailand Women: 74/9 (Naruemol Chaiwai 21, Nattaya Boochatham 21; Deepti Sharma 3-7)

India Women won by 74 runs