Bangkok, February 22 Tejal Hasanbis made a remarkable 51 off 34 balls on a slow, turning pitch, before leg-spinner Prema Rawat dominated with the ball, as India A convincingly defeated Bangladesh A by 46 runs in a low-scoring final on Sunday to defend the ACC Women's Asia Cup Rising Stars title.
At 44 for four, India were struggling, but Hasanbis, who has played ODIs for India, and captain Radha Yadav (36 off 30) forged a crucial 89-run partnership for the fifth wicket, taking their team to 134 for seven in 20 overs.
Considering the conditions and the strength of the Indian bowling attack, the Radha-led side comfortably defended, dismissing Bangladesh for 88 in 19.1 overs.
Prema (3/12 in four overs) was the standout performer with the ball, who was part of RCB's successful campaign in the recently concluded WPL. She bowled with excellent variation and got enough turn off the surface.
Bangladesh never got going in the chase, losing their first wicket for just 12 runs in the third over. The collapse began when Ishma Tanjim was caught by pacer Saima Thakor after unsuccessfully attempting to drive.
Prema got her breakthrough with a classic leg-break that bounced extra, taking the edge of Shamima Sultana.
In the inaugural final of the tournament in 2023, India A had also defeated Bangladesh A.
Batting first, India A struggled on a tricky surface, but Hasanbis showed great skill and determination to guide her team out of trouble. She batted at a strike rate of 150.00, significantly higher than the other batters in the game, making a crucial difference.
While the top four batters for India A didn't contribute much, Hasanbis was able to score freely, with Radha providing crucial support at the end.
