India kept their T20 World Cup semi-final hopes alive with a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh at Old Trafford in Manchester. Chasing 137, India completed the task with 19 balls to spare, though the chase had its share of tense moments.

Bangladesh's Innings – 136/8

Opting to bat first, Bangladesh posted 136 for 8, but never truly found their rhythm. Juairiya Ferdous top-scored with 33 off 31 balls, while captain Nigar Sultana contributed 32 off 27. Sobhana Mostary added a quick 22, but Bangladesh failed to accelerate at the death, finishing below par despite late runs from Ritu Moni and Shorna Akter.

India's Bowling & Fielding

Radha Yadav led the bowling attack with impressive figures of 3 for 28, while Shree Charani claimed 2 for 21, becoming India's leading wicket-taker in a single World Cup edition. However, India's fielding was far from perfect, dropping four catches, three of them off Ferdous, which allowed Bangladesh to stretch the game longer than expected.

The Chase – India's Batting Response

India's chase started positively, but it lost Smriti Mandhana early for 8. Shafali Verma then took charge with a powerful 53 off 34 balls, while Yastika Bhatia (23 off 18) provided solid support. Bangladesh fought back through Rabeya Khan and Ritu Moni, with Richa Ghosh falling for 10, but Jemimah Rodrigues' crucial 26 off 15 steadied the innings. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma then calmly guided India to victory, ensuring no further hiccups.