India women tie third ODI with Bangladesh, series ends in draw

India botched up an easy run chase as a tenacious Bangladesh rallied to tie the final ODI as well as the three-match series here on Saturday.

Needing 10 runs from 19 deliveries with four wickets in hand, India looked on course to a comfortable win.

However, the visitors suffered a batting collapse towards the end to lose their last four wickets within the span of 16 balls while chasing 226 for victory.

India were all out of 225 in 49.3 overs and with the scores levelled and the scheduled time over, the match was called a tie as the two sides shared the trophy.

India collapsed from 191 for five in the 42nd over to 217 for nine in the 48th, but the last-wicket pair of Jemimah Rodrigues (33 not out) and Meghna Singh (6) took the team close to the finish line.

But with one run needed to win off the last four balls, Marufa Akter had Meghna caught behind as half centuries by Smriti Mandhana (59) and Harleen Deol (77) went in vain.

The duo had stitched a 107-run stand for the third wicket after India were reduced to 32 for 2.

After Mandhana’s departure in the 29th over, Deol stitched small partnerships of 21 and 31 with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (14) and the experienced Jemimah to help India inch closer to the target.

Deol was finally out in the 42nd over and it was left to Rodrigues to hit the required runs, but all she could do was watch as wickets tumbled at the other end.

Rabeya Akhtar started the collapse as she got Amanjot Kaur in the final ball of the 47th over. Nahida Akhter then bowled a crucial over, getting rid of Sneh Rana and Devika Vaidya.

India had suffered their first ODI defeat against Bangladesh in the opening match but came back strongly to beat the hosts by 108 runs in the second match.

Mandhana saved her best for the last as she hit her first fifty of the series and 26th overall. She got a life early on but grew in confidence later on to dominate the Bangladeshi bowlers, in company of Deol.

She perished in the 29th over as she miscued a Fahima Khatun delivery and a diving Sobhana Mostary took a fine catch.

Harmanpreet did not last long but it was Deol’s day as she carried her good work from the second ODI into this game.

Rains arrived when India were 173 for 4 at the end of 38 overs and the visitors needed 53 for a win from 12 overs.

Play resumed after a rain interruption of nearly 45 minutes and no overs were deducted.

Earlier, opener Fargana Hoque became the first Bangladesh woman player to hit an ODI century as she led a solid batting display to power the hosts to a competitive 225 for 4.

Opting to bat first, Bangladesh managed to play a calculated and risk-free innings for major part with Fargana producing a fine innings.

Fargana hit a superb 107 off 160 balls, studded with seven fours, and she was the last Bangladesh batter to get out in the final delivery of the innings. She stitched a steady 93-run opening stand with Shamima Sultana (52) to lay the platform for the 200-plus score.

Sharmin Akhter had hit 130 not out for Bangladesh in a World Cup qualifier match against the USA in 2021 but that did not enter the record books as that tournament in Zimbabwe featured a team that did not have ODI status.

Saturday’s 225 for 4 was also the Bangladesh women teams second-highest ODI total, after the 234 for 7 against Pakistan in 2022.

For India, Sneh Rana (2/45) and Devika Vaidya (1/42) were among wickets.

The Indian bowlers were left frustrated by the Bangladesh openers Shamima and Fargana for more than half of their innings. The duo denied the Indians any success till the 27th over when Shamima got out for a well-made 52 off 78 balls.

The 35-year-old Shamima, who was playing her first match of the series, studded her innings with five boundaries and got dismissed off a delivery from Rana.

Fargana continued the good work as she consolidated the Bangladesh innings with captain Nigar Sultana (24). The visiting bowlers simply could not get the wickets needed though they did not concede too many runs.

Fargana produced a solid display, holding the Bangladesh innings together. That gave captain Sultana some room to play more freely as Bangladesh reached 163 for 1 in 40 overs.

Just as Bangladesh needed to accelerate, Rana struck for the second time, removing Sultana in the 41st over to reduce the home side to 164 for 2.

Bangladesh added 62 runs in the last 10 overs for the loss of three wickets.

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