Tigresses do it

Bangladesh defeat India by three wickets in the final of the T20 Asia cup to clinch a memorable victory.

It was a scintillating finish at the Kinara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur as Tigresses needed two runs off the last delivery when Jahanara Alam hit the ball towards mid on and completed a tight double to take Tigers to victory.

Needing 9 off the last over, Rumana Ahmed hit Kaur for a four over extra-cover off the second delivery to bring the Tigers close. Needing four off four, Sanjida Islam lost her cools as she tried to hit a big one and was holed out at long-on. Tragedy struck when Rumana too fell in the next delivery, running herself out when thinking of getting two. However, she did take a single off the penultimate ball which meant Bangladesh needed two off the last delivery and Jahanara then accomplished the epic task.

Tigresses had started the chase strongly with a solid start in the powerplay as they reached 33 for the loss of two wickets, but in the next over, Poonam Yadav removed both Bangladesh openers in back-to-back deliveries to bring India back into the game. Fargana Hoque then joined Nigar Sultana at the crease and the pair added 20 more runs before Fargana nicked a Poonam delivery thorugh to the keeper, leaving Bangladesh needing 57 runs off the last eight overs.

Nigar played a top-notch innings to bring Tigers close. She showed her class in the 15^th over when she struck three consecutive boundaries off Goswami – the first a mid-off drive, then a square cut through point and a deft glide down third man.

She fell to Poonam Yadav in what looked like a waist-high delivery and the equation became difficult for the Tigers but Rumana's 22-ball 23 proved crucial in the end.

Earlier, Bangladesh spinners put on a spirited bowling effort but India skipper Harampreet Kaur struck a dazziling half-century to take India to a fighting score in the final of the T20 Asia Cup at the Kinara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur today.

Kaur fell in the penultimate ball of the innings after scoring a 41-ball 56. India were struggling at 42 for the loss of four wickets against the Tigresses after the end of 10 overs.

Bangladesh won the toss and sent India in to bat first and the decision was resounding success as India lost four top-order batters inside 10 overs. Nahida was the most economical among Tigress bowlers, conceding just six from three overs. Khadija Tul Kubra and Rumana Ahmed then ran riot bagging two wickets. Jahanara Alam bagged one.