1st T20I: Harmanpreet Kaur stars as India women beat Bangladesh women to take 1-0 series lead

Harmanpreet Kaur starred with the bat to help India Women defeat Bangladesh Women by seven wickets in the first of three T20I matches at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur fired a brisk unbeaten 35-ball 54 after spinners produced an all-round performance in India's win.

Following India's decision to bowl, spinners exploited the conditions to perfection, limiting Bangladesh to 114 for 5. In response, Harmanpreet hit her first fifty of the season, and her deputy Smriti Mandhana hit 38 off 34 balls as the duo added 70 runs for the third wicket to chase down the target in 16.2 overs. The captain hit six boundaries and two sixes, making the most of the two reprieves she received from left-arm spinner Nahida Akter's bowling.

Mandhana set the tone for India, hitting five boundaries in total, including a rasping square cut-off seamer Marufa Akter and an inside-out lofted cover drive. They were absolutely stunning shots. The spin attack, led by the experienced Deepti Sharma



(0/14 in 4 overs), and debutants Anusha Bareddy (0/24 in 4 overs) and Minnu Manni (1/21 in 3 overs), executed skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's plan of bowling on one side of the wicket flawlessly. Leg-spinner Shafali Verma (1/18 in 3 overs) was also mostly on target, save for a six hit off her bowling by top-scorer Sorna Akhtar (28 off 28 balls).

The plan was to pack the off-side field with five fielders and bowl on the fourth or fifth off-stump line, making it difficult for Bangladeshi batters, mostly right-handers, to penetrate the cordon. This came after debutant Mani took her first wicket when Shamima Sultana (17) couldn't connect her slog sweep after tonking the off-spinner for a six, and Jemimah Rodrigues took a smart catch at square leg.

Pooja Vastrakar then used a short ball to soften Shathi Rani (22) before castling her with a perfect fuller delivery. Nigar Sultana (2) was run out, and Shafali threw one up to get rid of Shobhana Mostary (23 off 33 balls), who was becoming increasingly frustrated.