Women’s Asia Cup: Sabbhineni Meghana dazzles as India beats Malaysia by 30 runs via D/L method | Cricket News

SYLHET: Opener Sabbhineni Meghana (69) was given the authority to capture her maiden T20I half-century when India defeated Malaysia by 30 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method in the rain curtailed Asia Cup game here on Monday.
Meghana replaced Vice-Captain Smriti Mandhana at the top, scoring a career-best 69 from 53 deliveries to help India after 181 for 4.
In response, Malaysia faltered 16/2 in 5.2 overs when the rain stopped play, well behind the 46 run that was the D/L par score when the game was called off.
The win moved India to second on the points list — by four points — behind Pakistan.

Meghana took the Malaysian bowling attack to the sword when she put forward her best career score in the format after India was asked to bat.
The great Shafali Verma, who struggles for form, also threw in, but the teen looked scratchy for most of her 46-run knockout.
Meghana took full advantage of the opportunity presented to her when she took on the role of aggressor from the very first ball.
She milked each over the line and hit the ball across the ground in the power play as India went 47/0 in the first six overs.
She was dropped at 14 by skipper Winifred Duraisingam (2/36) in the third over and the right-hander made the Malaysian fine for the error as she raced a limit to fifty.
Poor fieldwork only added to Malaysia’s woes as the Indian women seemed on track for a score of over 200.
However, Duraisingam got the big wicket from Meghana. The Indian only wanted to drive to throw the ball straight into the hands of extra cover, sending the entire Malaysian team into a frenzy.
Shafali, who had played second fiddle to perfection, hit a couple of sixes, but failed to keep up the momentum when Meghana was out.
Richa Ghosh was elevated to number three and the young wicketkeeper played a smooth 33-run knock and loved the holes.
But Shafali struggled to accelerate as Malaysia tightened up their bowling and fielding while causing a mini batting collapse.
In the eventful penultimate over, Shafali was bowled by 17-year-old Nur Dania Syuhada (2/9) on the first pitch before the spinner lost Kiran Navgire (0) in the next ball.
It would have been a three-wicket-haul for the teenager if Richa hadn’t fallen in the deep mid-wicket at 31.
Spinners Deepti Sharma (1/10) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (1/6) defended 181 and had to knock out openers Winifred Duraisingam (0) and Wan Julia (1) before the rain stopped playing.