Radha, Asha star as Women in Blue sweep T20I series against Bangladesh

Indian players celebrate a wicket. Photo: X@JayShah

Sylhet (Bangladesh): Spinners Radha Yadav and Asha Shobana starred as the Indian women beat Bangladesh by 21 runs in the fifth and final Twenty20 International (T20I) to clinch the series 5-0 here on Thursday.

Left-arm spinner Radha claimed 3/24, while Keralite leggie Asha picked up 2/25 in her second T20I. Ritu Moni top-scored with 37 as the home side ended up with 135/6.

Earlier, Richa Ghosh provided late fireworks with an unbeaten 28 as the Women in Blue made 156/5 .

Richa struck three sixes and a four during her 17-ball knock after D Hemalatha (37) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (30) put on a crucial 60-run third-wicket stand to provide solidity.

India also posted the highest total in the series to take a firm grip on the match with opening batter Smriti Mandhana setting the tone early on with a 25-ball 33 with four boundaries and a six.

But Richa's knock was crucial for India who had lost three quick wickets, including two against Rabeya Khan (2/28) in one over, but the wicketkeeper-batter ensured her side remained on top at the halfway mark.

Shafali Verma (14) and Mandhana added 25 for the first wicket before the latter teamed up with Hemalatha to add another 37 for the second wicket.

Mandhana looked set for a big haul but she was on the receiving end of a dubious leg-before decision off Nahida Akter (2/27) in the eighth over, when the Bangladesh spinner hit her pads and the on-field umpire's decision stayed as DRS was not available in the series.

Hemalatha, who was dropped on 1 by Fariha Trisna, found her mojo to strike two sixes and as many fours in her 23-ball innings.

On her part, Harmanpreet looked fluent in the middle to make a handy 30 off 24 balls with four fours.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.