Internet Desk: The BCCI president Anurag Thakur today congratulated the Indian women’s cricket team for winning the Asia Cup beating Pakistan by 18 runs in the final on Sunday.
Thakur said:”On behalf of the BCCI, I would like to congratulate the Indian women’s team for their emphatic win.
This is the sixth title win in Asia Cup and also proves our dominance in the region as the leading women’s team.”
What a fantastic achievement by Indian Women’s Team, beating Pakistan in the finals of Women’s Asia Cup. Many congrats. @BCCI
— Lt. Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) December 4, 2016
Secretary Ajay Shirke also hailed the effort of the Indian eves.
Shirke said:”The Indian team has done everyone proud by stretching India’s unbeaten run in the Asia Cup to 32 matches and taking the Asia Cup title count to six. I congratulate the entire team for this outstanding achievement.
Earlier in the day, Veteran Mithali Raj, who was removed as T-20 captain before the start of the tournament, made a statement with an unbeaten 73 to guide India to 121 for five in 20 overs.
The bowlers then bowled brilliantly to limit Pakistan to 104 for six, completing a comprehensive 17-run win. The star with ball once against was left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht, who took two wickets conceding 22 runs in her four overs.
Raj was instrumental in the team’s resounding success, amassing 220 runs in four innings to end as the tournament’s highest run scorer in the competition by some distance. Second in the list was Pakistan’s Javeria Khan with 128 runs in six innings.
Mithali kept calm in both tense games against Pakistan to help the team’s cause. Her 73 not out in the final was her highest score in the tournament and it came in quick time at the top of the order. She ended with a strike rate of 112, smashing seven fours and a six.
It was also an occasion where the veteran made amends for her slow batting during World T20 where India lost to arch-rivals.
With her showing, the 34-year-old displayed she still has a lot to offer in the T20 format after being sacked as captain to make way for Harmanpreet Kaur.
The new captain had a quiet tournament by her standards as the all-rounder failed to muster up a 30 plus score in six innings and took just two wickets.
Left-arm spinner Bisht came good for India with the ball, ending as the team’s most successful bowler with 10 wickets at an average of 5.20.
She along with the rest of the bowlers, ensured Pakistan never got close to the target.