Bangladesh Vice-Captain Nahida Akter Vows to Give Their Best Against India in Women’s T20 Asia Cup Semifinal
Bangladesh’s vice-captain Nahida Akter has promised her team will give their best performance in the crucial semifinal of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup against India. The match, set to take place at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Friday, is pivotal for the Tigresses as they aim to secure a spot in the final.
Nahida’s Commitment: Speaking after a practice session, Nahida Akter emphasized the importance of the semifinal. “The semifinal is really important for me and the team. We will try to give our best. We will focus on all three departments and try to do our best in all of them,” she said. The Tigresses are determined to replicate their 2018 success when they defeated India in the final in Malaysia to win the title.
Bangladesh’s Journey: Bangladesh’s campaign began with a setback—a seven-wicket loss to Sri Lanka. However, they bounced back with two impressive wins against Thailand and Malaysia, securing their place in the semifinals. Nahida Akter and Rabeya Khan have been standout performers, each taking five wickets in the tournament so far.
Nahida Akter, who is just one wicket shy of becoming the first Bangladeshi to take 100 wickets in WT20Is, expressed her determination to contribute to her team’s success. “A semifinal is always a pressure game. If you lose this, you are out of the tournament. Beating a strong team like India right before a World Cup will boost our confidence,” Nahida noted.
India’s Unbeaten Run: India, on the other hand, have been in formidable form throughout the tournament, winning all three of their group matches against Pakistan, the UAE, and Nepal. Opener Shafali Verma, who is the second-highest run-scorer with 158 runs and has the highest strike-rate of 166.32, praised her team’s performance but remained cautious. “We are really happy with the way we have gelled together and the way we have been winning matches. The semifinal is really important for us,” Verma said.
Looking Ahead: Both teams are gearing up for a high-stakes match that promises to be a thrilling encounter. For Bangladesh, a win would not only secure a place in the final but also provide a significant confidence boost ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled in Bangladesh from October 3-20.
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