Asian Games 2023: Indian women’s team enters semi-finals after rain washes away quarterfinal clash

New Delhi: Indian women’s cricket team started their Asian Games 2023, campaign on Thursday, on a high note.

India qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament after their quarterfinal match against Malaysia got washed away, after only two balls into the second innings.

India, who are seeded number one in the tournament, qualified on the basis of their higher seeding.

Earlier, Malaysian skipper Winifred Duraisingam, won the toss and invited the Smriti Mandhana-led team India to bat first.

Smriti Mandhana was leading the team after the regular captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, was handed a match ban by the ICC.

India started off well as they added 57 runs for the first wicket in just 31 deliveries. Smriti Mandhana (27), was the first one to depart after the rain interrupted the game, 5.4 overs into the game.

The match was reduced to 15-overs a side game, before the resumption. Shafali Verma (67) and Jemimah Rodrigues (47*), set India on the path of a mammoth total.

Richa Ghosh (21*), struck 3 fours and one six, and scored 20 runs off the final over of the innings and finally ended the Indian innings with 173 for two in 15 overs.

The second innings got washed away after only two balls in the innings, giving India a semi-finals spot.

India will now play their semi-final match on Sunday, September 24.