Harmanpreet aces the chase after bowlers stifle Bangladesh

India 118 for 3 (Harmanpreet 54*, Mandhana 38, Sultana 2-25) beat Bangladesh 114 for 5 (Shorna 28*, Mostary 23, Vastrakar 1-16) by seven wickets

Miserly bowling spells from Pooja Vastrakar and Deepti Sharma, followed by a quick fifty from Harmanpreet Kaur, set up a straightforward seven-wicket win for India over Bangladesh in their first international outing in over four months.

Bowling first, India restricted Bangladesh to 114 for 5, with Vastrakar and Deepti drying the runs before Harmanpreet’s unbeaten 35-ball 54 and Smriti Mandhana’s 34-ball 38 sealed victory for the visitors with 22 balls left.

Bangladesh start strong in helpful bowling conditions

With conditions overcast and the surface having a tinge of green, Harmanpreet had no hesitation fielding first. Her decision was vindicated with Vastrakar starting with a maiden, finding generous movement in the air. It was Minnu Mani, one of the two India debutants, who struck the first blow, getting rid of Shamima Sultana. Despite being struck for a four and six off the previous two balls, Mani stuck to her plan of keeping it slow outside off. Sultana went for one shot too many and holed out at deep square leg.

Shathi Rani, also on debut for Bangladesh, took down Amanjot Kaur for three successive fours as the hosts reached 46 for 1 after seven overs, starting to look comfortable.

Bowlers squeeze, Shorna shores Bangladesh up

While the quicks got movement, the spinners also found sharp turn and bounce, and Hamanpreet was quick to ring in the changes. Vastrakar roughed Rani up with a few bumpers before sending down a quick one to rattle her stumps. And once Rani fell, the runs slowed down to a trickle. Bangladesh managed the solitary boundary between overs eight to 16, also lost three wickets in the period.

Their run-rate came down to five an over, and the captain Nigar Sultana’s needless run-out hurt them further. Deepti was at her miserly best, mixing her lengths and varying her speeds, and got good support from Vastrakar and the two debutants – Mani and B Anusha.

Only Shorna Akter‘s late blows helped Bangladesh go past the 100-mark. On 6 off 16 at one stage, she struck two sixes to finish unbeaten on a run-a-ball 28, helping Bangladesh creep up to 114 for 5.

Harmanpreet, Mandhana set up India’s easy chase

Defending a small score, Bangladesh couldn’t have asked for a better start with Marufa Akter trapping Shafali Varma, who played all around an in-dipper, in her first over. Jemimah Rodrigues struck a couple of crisp fours but was soon cleaned up by Sultana Khatun for 11.

Mandhana and Harmanpreet, however, made sure the Bangladesh celebrations were short-lived. Mandhana got going with a four past point in the second over before slamming Marufa for back-to-back fours either side of the wicket right after Rodrigues’ dismissal. Harmanpreet also cashed in early as India reached 41 for 2 at the end of six overs.

The duo made sure to capitalise on every loose ball, of which there were plenty, adding 70 off 55 balls for the third wicket. By the time Mandhana danced down the track only to be stumped for 38, the game was in India’s grasp.

Harmanpreet, who was dropped on 24, did the final honours. She opened up her shoulders, smashing Rabeya Khan for a six and four, before bringing up her 11th T20I fifty off just 34 balls in the 17th over with a six over deep midwicket. The very next ball brought about the end of the game with Harmanpreet fittingly finishing things off with a four through midwicket again.

Ashish Pant is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo