XtraTime Web Desk: Defending champions Indian eves lost against Bangladesh by three wickets in the final of Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Needing two off the last delivery of the match, Jahanara Alam hit rival skipper Harmanpreet Kaur towards deep mid-wicket and scampered home for a double to chase down a modest target of 113.
Turn off for: English
For India, it was Harmanpreet (56 off 42 balls, 2/19) and leg-spinner Poonam Yadav (4/9), who put up a semblance of fight as a below-par batting effort once again became their undoing.
Bangladesh skipper Salma Khatun decided to field and none of the Indian batters save Harmapreet (seven boundaries) looked comfortable against the Bangladesh attack.
Veteran Rumana Ahmed (2/22 in 4 overs) and off-spinner Khadija Tul Kubra (2/23 in 4 overs) inflicted the maximum damage on the Indian batting order.
Turn off for: English
Chasing a modest total, spinners Poonam and Ekta Bisht (0/13 in 4 overs) did try to bring India back in the match but Jhulan Goswami (0/20 in 2 overs) was expensive with the ball.
Middle-order batswomen Nigar Sultana (27 off 24 balls) and Rumana Ahmed (23 off 22 balls) were the ones instrumental in Bangladesh’s successful chase.
Rumana’s only boundary — a drive through extra cover off Harmanpreet’s final over eased the pressure even though she was run-out off the penultimate delivery.