Nisshin: No.1 T20I bowler Sree Charani continued her top form as she picked up another four-wicket haul to help India bowl hosts Japan out for 57 in the fourth quarterfinal of the women’s Asian Games here at the Korogi Sports Park on Friday.
Charani, the young left-arm spinner, picked 4-10 in her four overs as her spell played a pivotal role in keeping a lid on the minnow Japanese side. This was her second consecutive four-wicket haul after she picked 4-20 against Sri Lanka in the final of the victorious Asian Games 2026.
While Charani did the majority of the damage, Shafali Verma also picked up a couple of wickets, while returning from a long injury layoff, Shreyanka Patil and Deepti Sharma scalped one wicket each to plot the downfall of the hosts.
India, the defending gold medallists at the Asian Games, opted to bowl first. Japanese openers Haruna Iwasaki and Ayaka Kato-Stafford struggled to face the much-superior Indian bowling. They did not lose a wicket in the powerplay, making 24/0 in the first six overs. However, things changed after the powerplay and more so after the first 10 overs.
Charani began the good work when she removed Iwasaki for 10 before nicking behind the Japanese captain Mai Yanagida for a golden duck. Deepti and Shafali also joined the party as the former got Erika Oda caught for five at deep mid-wicket, while Shafali removed the other opener, Ayaka Kato-Stafford, who was also their highest run-scorer for 25 from 47 balls caught at mid-on. She later got the struggling Shimako Kato for three in the 17th over with a quicker ball, before Hinase Goto was run out for one, with Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh doing good work.
Ahilya Chandel was also run out after a terrible mix-up in the 18th over as Japan reeled at 53/7 in 17.2 overs. Charani returned and picked two more wickets in the 19th over to complete her second straight four-fer as she removed Akari Kano, caught at short mid-wicket off a leading edge.
Erika Toguchi Quinn was the next to bite the dust as she found Shafali after top-edging an attempt towards long-on. Shreyanka had the final wicket to her name when she castled Nonoha Yasumoto for a duck as Japan were bowled out for 57.
(IANS)
