‘Gold pe India ka hi name likha hai’ – Fans react as Indian women’s cricket team enters semi-finals of Asian Games 2023

Indian Women’s cricket team has qualified for the semifinal of the ongoing Asian Games 2023, which are taking place in Hangzhou, China after the quarterfinal match was washed out against Malaysia as the rain halted the play. Notably, the side was led by India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, as regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur got a ban for the two matches from the Apex Cricket Council after she intentionally hit the stumps and criticized on-field umpires for her dismissal in a series against Bangladesh in July this year.

Speaking about the match, it was the Malaysian skipper who won the toss and invited the Women in Blue to bat first. After being sent to bat first, Team India had a great start. Notably, stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana scored 27 runs, while the young batter Shafali Verma once again lit up the show with her performances. The 19-year-old batter scored 67 runs off 39 balls, featuring four boundaries and five sixes, with a solid strike rate of 172, which gave her side a great start.

India qualified for the semifinal in Asian Games 2023 because of the higher seeding

Following her wicket, Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh took the onus and scored unbeaten 47 and 21 runs, respectively, to post the score of 173/2 in the given 15 overs during the rain-curtailed match. Later, while chasing, Malaysia women could only play the two balls before rain halted the play in the second inning. Later, the match was abandoned, which allowed India to qualify for the semifinal clash because of the higher seeding.

Notably, the Smriti Mandhana side will be playing their next match on September 24 to take on Bangladesh in the semi-final clash. In addition, the Women in Blue are the top contenders for gold medals owing to their magnificent performances against Asian sides.