India secured a commanding spot in the Women’s Asian Games semifinals following a clinical bowling display against hosts Japan. Choosing to field, India dominated by bowling 95 deliveries of spin, with four spinners collectively claiming 8 wickets for 46 runs to bowl the opposition out for just 57 in 19.5 overs. Left-arm spinner Shree Charani spearheaded the attack, delivering a career-best performance of 4 for 10 across four overs, highlighted by 20 dot balls.
While Charani anchored the innings, Shafali Verma contributed 2 for 13, and Deepti Sharma along with Shreyanka Patil took a wicket each. Japan’s resistance centered on opener Ayaka Kato-Stafford, who faced 47 balls for her 25 runs, while Haruna Iwasaki was the only other player to manage double digits. The match clearly illustrated the disparity in experience between the sides as the home team struggled to build momentum.
India needed only five overs to reach their target of 59, finishing at 59/2. Shafali Verma played an aggressive innings, remaining unbeaten on 40 off 15 balls, including six boundaries and two sixes. Although Japan briefly challenged with the ball—specifically through Nonoha Yasumoto, who claimed a wicket-maiden by dismissing Gunalan Kamalini, and Kato-Stafford, who accounted for Bharti Fulmali—India’s victory was never in doubt. The defending champions are now set to face Bangladesh in the upcoming semifinal.
Brief scores: Japan 57 all out in 19.5 overs (Ayaka Kato-Stafford 25; Shree Charani 4-10, Shafali Verma 2-13) lost to India 59/2 in 5 overs (Shafali Verma 40*; Nonoha Yasumoto 1-8). The report also notes that japan did have a couple of breakthroughs with the ball.
