ICC Women’s World Cup 2022: Mithali Raj scores 2nd golden DUCK of career in must-win game vs Bangladesh
Indian skipper Mithali Raj’s woes in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 continued when she posted just her second golden duck of her illustrious career in a must-win game against Bangladesh.
In Hamilton on Tuesday (March 22). Mithali succumbed to Ritu Moni, who dismissed swashbuckling Shafali Verma for a run-a-ball 42 off the previous delivery after Team India had got off to an impressive start.
India had raced to 74 for the opening wicket before three wickets for zero runs pushed Mithali’s side back after the skipper had won the toss and elected to bat first.
After scoring 31 against arch-rivals Pakistan in India’s tournament opener, Mithali managed scores of 5 and 1 in the matches against New Zealand and West Indies respectively before bouncing back strongly with a valiant 68 against Australia last week.
Mithali pressed forward for a drive, but the ball chipped away straight to Fahima Khatun at cover off left-arm spinner Ritu Moni. This was Mithali’s seventh career duck in ODI cricket and second golden duck. The only other time she suffered a similar dismissal was against South Africa in 2017 Women’s World Cup.
With both of her golden duck dismissal happening in an ODI World Cup game, Mithali became the first captain the tournament history to suffer two such dismissals. Mithali also remains the only India captain to record a golden duck in Women’s World Cup.
Meanwhile, Yastika Bhatia’s 50-run knock and cameos from Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Pooja Vastrakar helped India score a modest 229/7 in 50 overs here at Seddon Park. Opting to bat first after winning the toss the Indian team got off to a flying start as openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana batted aggressively to take India’s total to a 50-run mark in 10 overs without losing a wicket.
The Indian team was going strong at the score of 74 in the 15th over with Nahida Akter dismissing southpaw Smriti Mandhana for 30 from 51 balls. In the next opener, Shafali Verma too was dismissed as she was stumped by Bangladesh wicket-keeper Nigar Sultana off Ritu Moni’s bowling.
In the very next ball captain, Mithali Raj was dismissed for a golden duck caught in the covers by Fahima Khatun off Ritu Moni`s bowling to leave India from 74 for no loss to 74 for 3.
Centurion in the game against West Indies Harmanpreet Kaur walked in to bat along with Yastika Bhatia took India’s total beyond the triple-figure mark in 25th over.
The 34-run partnership was broken as Harmanpreet Kaur was run out by Fargana Hoque for 14 to leave India in a spot of bother at 108/4 in 28th over.
The 2017 World Cup finalist desperately needed a partnership and Yastika Bhatia and wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh struck a partnership to take the team’s total beyond the 150-run mark. The 54-run partnership was broken as keeper Nigar Sultana stumped Richa Ghosh for 26 as half of the Indian side was back to the pavilion with 162 runs on the board.
Yastika Bhatia continued with her rich run of form as she notched up a second consecutive half-century. Immediately after that Yastika was out caught at short fine leg by Nahida Akter of Ritu Moni’s bowling for 50 off 80 balls at 176 for 6.
Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana took the team’s total beyond the 200-run mark in 47th over. Rana was dismissed by Jahanara Alam in the final over for 27 off 23 balls hitting two boundaries. Pooja Vastrakar’s unbeaten 30 took India’s total to 229 in 50 overs setting a target of 230 for Bangladesh.
Brief Scores: India Women 229/7 in 50 overs (Yastika Bhatia 50, Shafali Verma 42; Ritu Moni 3/37) vs Bangladesh Women